‘Illicit drugs use among students alarmingly high’

The Chemists who were at Oriwu Model College, Ikorodu, Lagos for the second sensitisation programme on Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) and Drug Demand Reduction (DDR) among public schools in Lagos said that prevention is key to nipping the menace in the bud.According to the ICCON Acting Registrar/ Chief Executive […]

The Chemists who were at Oriwu Model College, Ikorodu, Lagos for the second sensitisation programme on Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) and Drug Demand Reduction (DDR) among public schools in Lagos said that prevention is key to nipping the menace in the bud.
According to the ICCON Acting Registrar/ Chief Executive Officer, Taiwo Bammodu, it is worrisome that certain secondary school students have been caught inhaling grinded excreta of lizards which they say is making them high.
“Truly, the lizard excreta is coloured. When such excreta becomes dry, these children will take out the white potion, grind it and sniff it. When that happened, they become ‘high’ in their own parlance. We didn’t know this until some students were caught with it.
“The lizard excreta samples were taken to the laboratory for test. The outcome of the test confirmed that the lizard excreta is a stimulant,” Bammodu said.
The ICCON acting registrar said such developments have now spurred Chattered Chemists and the Federal Ministry of Health to begin massive sensitisation of secondary students so as to stem the menace of drug abuse which appears to be prevalent among young people.
“What we are witnessing today is our modest efforts as an Institute to preserve the present and future generations of society. The imperative of Drug Demand Reduction (DDR) programme cannot be over-emphasised when viewed in the light of the enormous havoc being inflicted on society’s manpower by drug abuse.
“It is particularly painful that this undesirable trend is most prevalent among the younger generation- the supposed leaders of tomorrow! I am of the conviction that a good percentage of today’s drug addicts are victims of the non-availability of enlightenment programmes such as this; hence, they indulge in narcotics, stimulants, cannabis, sedatives, hallucinogens, among others,” Bammodu said.
He said the institute has come to realise that the cost of ignorance and punishing drug addicts far more outweigh the cost of preventive strategy which the institute has embarked on in the last five years.
Also speaking, a consultant to National Drug Law and Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Dan Modebe said the effect of drug abuse in Nigeria is assuming a worsening dimension hence the need to start a preventive method aimed at nipping the challenge in the bud.
“Many Nigerians are protesting against the issue of gay marriage and homosexuality because they feel it negates religious and cultural beliefs. But they forget too quickly that many people go into homosexuality when they are under the influence of all sorts of drugs.
“Except we tame the menace at the early stage, it poses serious health implication later in life,” Modebe said.