‘Stopping youths from drug abuse, a must’

By Kemi Olatunde
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Chairman, Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), Ondo State chapter, Pharm. Madu Ihekoronye has called on all stakeholders to redouble their efforts in preventing Nigerian youths from engaging in drug abuse.

He made the call during the 2019 edition of World Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Akure.

According to him, effective responses to world drug problem require inclusive  and accountable institutions of criminal justice, health and social services to work hand in hand to provide integrated solutions.

While frowning at the daily rising trend of drug abuse and illicit trafficking in Nigeria, Ihekoranye noted that justice demanded that government at all levels accept responsibility to go beyond the circus  of endless committees and volumes of reports, to take real action to stop the tide of drug abuse and trafficking in Nigeria.

Speaking further at the event with the theme; ‘Health for Justice, Justice for Health’ he stated that pharmacists in Nigeria would like to see a more robust approach to address the problems of drugs.

While calling on  government to pay close attention to job creation,  infrastructural development, quality education and skills acquisition for the Nigerian youth, he appealed to authorities to quickly address the minds of the young ones so that they would be vanguards of the campaign against drug abuse and illicit trafficking.

However, he advised  politicians not to politicise the fight against drug abuse and illicit trafficking of drugs saying “it could hamper human lives,  destinies and national security.”

Also speaking, Chairman of the occasion, Pharm. Amadi Okocha said that the association is worried about the effects of drugs misuse on human lives and the nation.

Okocha advised all to get involved in combating the menace in order to guarantee a bright future for the country.