[1The Chief Executive of Baba Rabi Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Mrs. Nana Mede, has lamented that Nigeria’s drug abuse statistic rate of 14.4 per cent has tripled the world average drug rate of 5.6 per cent.
She said according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigeria, drug case has tripled the world average, making drug abuse the major risk behaviour among youths and adolescents with physical and mental health complications.
Mede, speaking in Abuja at a seminar for the eradication of drug abuse and illicit substances among youths, said the impact of drug abuse among Nigerian adolescent had been a feature of morally bankrupt, corrupt and wasted generations.
She said drug abuse contributes to loss of societal values and ideals, while quoting the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) as stating that drug abuse has become a rapid growing problem in the country and other parts of the world.
The Baba Rabi Foundation CEO said the main goal of the seminar is to sensitise and create awareness among youths and communities on the danger of drug abuse to human health and national development. “This is to identify change agents among youths and strengthen their capacity on drug harm reduction advocacy, policy engagement and drug users’ human rights protection mechanism.”
It is expected that participants should have better understanding on drug abuse prevention activities, improved level of knowledge and competency among youth participants to become change agents on substance abuse prevention.
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