Kwara Frowns At Drug Abuse By Youths

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In recognition of the signs of impending threat to a peaceful society, the governor of Kwara State have joined other leaders in describing the rate at which the youths abuse drug as worrisome.  

The governor has urged the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on drug and substance abuse in the country.  Alhaji Ahmed spoke when the National President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN),  Ahmed Yakassi, a pharmacist,  visited  him at the  Government House, Ilorin penultimate week. The governor lamented that the country is faced with teething challenges such as increase in crime rates; kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism and insurgency  which are according to him, largely induced and promoted through the abuse of drugs by the youths.

Necessary steps must therefore be taken by the governments at all levels towards curbing the menace of drug abuse which has affected every stratum of the society like a cancer , it must  according to Ahmed, be arrested before it  becomes malignant.  

The governor said a tripartite arrangement between the governments, regulatory authorities and the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) should be evolved to form the  platforms through which the youths can be discouraged from drug abuse, especially the misuse of over the counter and the prescription drugs. ‘The level at which the youths  get involved in drug abuse is at an alarming rate; at the basic education level, at the secondary level, at the tertiary level, it is a very serious situation. It will require all hands to be on deck.

Everybody will be involved in the advocacy and in ensuring that all areas that contribute to the use of drugs are properly handled to give us a better society’ he said. In his remarks, Ahmed Yakassai said the association has engaged in fighting fake and counterfeit drugs in the country and ensuring that there is sanity in respect of drug administration.