By Kewve Abenabe
Cormac McCarthy once said “I think if you were Satan and you were sitting around trying to think up something that would just bring the human race to its knees what you would probably come up with is narcotics.” Well if you’re a Nigerian, you can easily relate to the current challenge our youth face as a result of drug abuse. There is a deliberate ploy by some bloodsucking, evil capitalist out there to harvest the souls of our youths yet. We are in a state of war and we don’t know. It’s up to the youth to rise up to this destiny killers, else ‘yawa go gas’.
The federal government on May 1st ordered an immediate ban on the issuance of permits for the importation of codeine as an active pharmaceutical ingredient for cough preparation. The Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, who gave the directive, said the move became necessary due to the gross abuse of codeine in the country. It is worthy of note that this directive came as a fallout of the joint probe by the BBC’s new investigation unit, Africa Eye, and BBC Pidgin titled ‘Sweet Sweet Codeine’. The investigative video clip which highlighted the adverse negative effect of the Opioid, ‘Codeine’ quickly elicited widespread condemnation from the public, therefore prevailing on the Federal Ministry of Health to ban the drugs from circulation.
From investigation so far, the syrup codeine is:
- A pain killer but also an addictive opioid. Taken in excess, it can cause organ failure and trigger schizophrenia
- Codeine syrup is commonly mixed with soft drinks and often consumed by students
- The codeine is imported, but the syrup is made in Nigeria by more than 20 pharmaceutical companies
- Nigeria’s drug enforcement agency is fighting this epidemic. In a recent raid, it seized 24,000 bottles of codeine syrup from a single lorry in Katsina
- Codeine syrup addiction is a problem across Africa, with reports of addiction in Kenya, Ghana, Niger, and Chad
- In 2016, India banned multiple brands of codeine cough syrup following reports of addition.
- Over 3million bottles of Codeine is estimated consumed day in Nigeria
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and other health analysts further add that In addition to kidney damage and seizures, serious abuse of codeine cough syrup can trigger mental psychosis – delusions, hallucinations, and even schizophrenia. Many of the syrup addicts in the rehab centre can become so violent that if not curtailed, could resort to violence and destruction of lives and properties.
But the question begs, how did we get here? How did it happen that the Federal government and regulatory bodies watched, waited, for the story be blown by the media before they reacted? Why are we always reactive than preventive when issues occur?
There is this school of thought that advocates that for development and positive change to occur in Nigeria, strong institutions must be established. This argument sounds favourable especially when we glaringly see the results in other nations like America. Unfortunately, why and how Nigeria as a nation defiles the law of gravity is beyond me. NAFDAC as an institution whose sole responsibility is to regulate and stem these ugly sharp practices from occurring, seem either overwhelmed or ignorant of its responsibilities. It is sad to say that since the demise of the late Professor Dora Akunyili, the institution of NAFDAC have gone into hibernation mode. Proponent and advocates could then be vindicated when they argue that having strong institutions is not yet ‘uhuru’ but also having strong personalities is the real game changer!
Truth be told, if someone should be blamed it must be the government. Drugs like Codeine and Tramadol have been in circulation for years now, and access to them in local shops and pharmacy is so loose that you could easily walk up to any shop and buy. More painful is the fact of Nigeria’s estimated population of almost 200million citizens, the youths make 60%, 40% of youths are jobless and idle. Unfortunately, 3miilion bottles are distributed daily and consumed by mixing it with coke and other drinks. This is how slowly but surely, our youth are being destroyed wilfully and intentionally. What better workshop should the devil use to carry out his scheme when the mind is idle?
While it may be conveniently lazy to blame the devil for all these anomaly, we cannot escape the reality that those distributing these drugs are not faceless but professional Pharmacists and Doctors who have mortgaged their professional calling sold their souls for quick financial gratification. The irony of it all is that these persons go to mosques and churches to ‘lift up holy hands’ and from these blood monies, they pay tithes, seed faith and miracles! When you see them drive the best cars and live in lavish apartment, they’ll tell you ‘it’s the lords doing and it’s marvellous in our eyes.
It is quite shameful to say that the reason why our youths have gone astray is not far-fetched-we have lost our societal values. The once communal way of life of ‘all for one and one for all’ has been replaced with ‘every man for himself and God for all’. This shift of incorporation of the youths to outright marginalization and neglect has given birth to this monster which will soon swallow us. The youths are depressed and idle; drugs become the quick fix opportunity to escape from the realities life. The government must do something urgently to stem this tide. If we watch and allow this anomaly to fester, we may have a new ‘Boko Haram’ to contend with. A word is enough…
