Published in PEOPLES DAILY | 9 January 2024
The unfortunate slogan, “Duk kan da ba hayaki kuttu ne,” meaning “a head without smoke is a dumb head,” is the catalyst for this writing. This phrase, originating from a once brilliant, friendly, and well-groomed individual born into privilege, now leads a misguided life due to drug addiction. My younger brother’s acquaintance, Rabo, known for his obedience and decency, shocked me last week when I encountered him in chains, transformed into a seemingly deranged state. When questioned about his situation, he responded, “Hajiya, Duk kan da ba hayaki kuttu ne.” This incident, along with similar cases in our communities, evoked tears. The metaphorical expression “a keg of gunpowder” aptly describes the highly volatile and explosive nature of the prevalent issue of drug abuse in our localities. Assessing the number of drug addicts in households within our vicinity reveals a critical situation demanding urgent intervention. Consequently, our locality, state, Nigeria, and even Africa at large stand precariously on a metaphorical keg of gunpowder due to the escalating challenges of drug use and abuse.
A substance qualifies as a drug if it alters a person’s physical, mental, emotional, or behavioral state. Drug addiction also referred to as substance use disorder, occurs when an individual loses the ability to control their use of drugs or medications, regardless of their legality. Examples of substances falling under this classification include alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine. Individuals experiencing addiction may persist in drug use even when it leads to harm.
Contrary to common perception, drug addiction is not a disease but rather a psychological disorder that drives individuals to use substances excessively. Despite being aware of the harm these drugs inflict on their bodies, individuals find themselves unable to resist the urge to consume more. The addiction often commences with a modest quantity but progressively intensifies over time, turning the person into a captive of the drugs, unable to function without them. Desperation might lead to actions such as stealing money or even resorting to selling one’s body to acquire drugs.
Only recently, I viewed a poignant video where a young individual gruesomely killed his father, proudly justifying the act by expressing a belief that it would send his father to paradise. The youth asserted that he committed the act out of love, believing it would secure his father’s place in heaven. It is evident from the footage that the youth was under the influence of drugs. This disturbing incident represents just one among numerous cases of violence and atrocities carried out under the influence of narcotics.
Furthermore, only a day ago, I viewed a news segment highlighting the involvement of Sierra Leone’s youth in a disturbing new drug addiction, wherein thousands of graves were desecrated. This substance is known as “kush,” consisting of dry leaves mixed with chemicals and human bones. According to a physician interviewed in the report, individuals consume it to achieve a heightened state, purportedly because human bones contain a significant amount of sulfur. These drug users are colloquially referred to as “friends of the dead.” The perplexing question arises: why would fellow humans resort to using the bones of their counterparts? This alarming phenomenon presents another pressing issue, resembling a pandemic demanding immediate attention.
A report by the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime in Nigeria indicates that 14.4% (14.3 million) of people aged between 15 and 64 years abuse drugs. A prevalence of 20–40% and 20.9% of drug abuse was reported among students and youths, respectively. Commonly abused drugs include cannabis, cocaine, amphetamine, heroin, diazepam, codeine, cough syrup, and tramadol.
Various research outputs by experts and relevant national and international organizations have consistently revealed the dangerous rising cases of drug use in the country and the damaging consequences of violent crimes, abuses, and health complications.
The document gives a damning account of rising drug use in Nigeria, noting that as of the time of the research, 14.3 million Nigerians aged between 15 and 64 years engaged in drug use. Of this figure, the survey added that about three million were drug-dependent and suffering from substance-induced disorders. But the latest Report by the UNODC hints at a sharp degeneration above the global average shortly.
According to the Report, instead of the expected 11 percent increase in the global number of drug users by 2030, the projection is 40 percent in Nigeria and the whole of Africa. “In Nigeria, this would signify that the country will have to grapple with approximately 20 million drug users by 2030, further deepening the public health and public security challenge,” the Report stated UN Information Service) record illicit drug supply and increasingly agile trafficking networks are compounding intersecting global crises and challenging health services and law enforcement responses, according to the World Drug Report 2023 launched by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) today.
New data put the global estimate of people who inject drugs in 2021 at 13.2 million, 18 percent higher than previously estimated. Globally, over 296 million people used drugs in 2021, an increase of 23 percent over the previous decade. The number of people who suffer from drug use disorders, meanwhile, has skyrocketed to 39.5 million, a 45 percent increase over ten years. The Report features a particular chapter on drug trafficking and crimes that affect the environment in the Amazon Basin, as well as sections on clinical trials involving psychedelics and medical use of cannabis; drug use in humanitarian settings; innovations in drug treatment and other services; and drugs and conflict.
The World Drug Report 2023 also highlights how social and economic inequalities drive – and are driven by – drug challenges, the environmental devastation and human rights abuses caused by illicit drug economies, and the rising dominance of synthetic drugs. The demand for treating drug-related disorders remains unmet mainly, according to the Report. Only one in five people suffering from drug-related disorders were in treatment for drug use in 2021, with widening disparities in access to treatment across regions. Youth populations are the most vulnerable to using drugs and are also more severely affected by substance use disorder in several areas.
According to the Report, in Africa, 70 percent of people in treatment are under the age of 35. New estimates of people who inject drugs are higher than previously estimated as treatment services and other interventions fall short, including record numbers of displaced people due to humanitarian crises. “Cheap and easy” synthetics changing drug markets with lethal results · Drug trafficking accelerating environmental devastation and crime in the Amazon Basin More monitoring of public health impacts needed amid rapid regulatory changes and clinical trials with psychedelics.
Based on our findings, cannabis is the most prevalent drug used by Nigerian youth. CANNABIS is derived from the plant Cannabis sativa. Cannabis is a depressant drug that produces an effect that will slow down the activity of the central nervous system and the messages going between the brain and the body. When consumed in large doses, it may also produce hallucinogenic effects, meaning you may see things that are not there. The key ingredient responsible for the ‘high’ produced by cannabis is called delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Cannabis is typically smoked, often mixed with tobacco, and sometimes added to food and eaten. When cannabis is smoked, the effects are often quick as THC is rapidly absorbed into the lungs, entering the bloodstream within minutes. Some people who use cannabis are dependent. Common names for cannabis in Nigeria are Igbo, Weewee, Weed, Marijuana, Mary and Joan, Choko, Yoyo, Kush, Skunk, Green Leaf, Ghanja, Grass, Indian Hemp (a term sometimes used on the streets), Blaze, Taba, Ndedeko, Bendel Market, Joint, Pot, and Genye.
Today, like all over the world, the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC) says many Nigerian adolescents no longer see the harmful effects of cannabis despite its biting consequences. In 2019, a joint research by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the Centre for Research and Information on Substance Abuse (CRISA) was launched with technical support from the UNODC. This is an attempt to tackle the above menace.
Apart from conventional drugs (cannabis) taken by many Nigerians, those who are illiterates and poor now take to other substances, including sniffing petroleum, septic tanks, drainages, latrines, or burning rubber materials.
What factors contribute to such behaviors?
The expert identified several factors contributing to the increasing prevalence of drug use and abuse in Nigeria, encompassing poor economic conditions, growing illiteracy rates, marital difficulties, peer influence, and the presence of large families, among other influences. Our research among individuals grappling with addiction has revealed a correlation between the absence or economic vulnerability of the male parent, which the expert described as super-ego, and the tendency of their children to engage in substance abuse. Some attribute this crisis to the erosion of the country’s socio-cultural values, noting that family values are no longer as deeply rooted as they once were. Additionally, the unregulated use of technology by young individuals has played a role in exacerbating the issue significantly.
What are the Ominous consequences?
The rise in criminal activities across various regions of the country is intrinsically linked to the escalating drug use among Nigerians. The diverse violent conflicts plaguing the nation also emerge as direct outcomes of individuals abusing substances. Incidents of banditry and looting are unequivocally attributed to the aftermath of drug abuse. It is not uncommon for these criminals to demand narcotics as part of their ransom. Numerous atrocities are committed under the influence of drugs. As a peace linguist with a background in peace studies, I can affirm that a prerequisite for a peaceful country is the absence of drug addiction in society and the environment.
Way Forward
Parents bear the primary responsibility as moral guides for their children, irrespective of their busy schedules. They must recognize their crucial duty in shaping their children’s moral compass. Also, government and civil society can actively engage in heightened awareness campaigns and offer counseling and support to individuals affected by the consequences of drug abuse. Schools should integrate such counseling into their curriculum and conduct periodic drug tests to identify and address signs of drug addiction. Religious institutions are urged to educate their followers about the dangers associated with consuming intoxicants. By implementing these strategies collectively, Nigeria can work towards diffusing the metaphorical keg of gunpowder and reclaiming its citizens’ safer and healthier future.
Hauwa Mohammed Sani,
PhD, Department of English and Literary Studies, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria
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