Friday, 29th March 2024
To guardian.ng
Search
Breaking News:

NAFDAC, YPG task parents on drug abuse

By Paul Adunwoke
17 February 2019   |   6:29 am
National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in collaboration with Young Pharmacists Group (YPG) has urged parents to caution young people...

Participants at the programme.

National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in collaboration with Young Pharmacists Group (YPG) has urged parents to caution young people on drug abuse and help halt misuse among children.

Making the call at a Youth Against Drug Abuse (YADA), Sakeholders Consultative Meeting in Lagos, Director General, NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye said the consequences of drug abuse in today’s society are many and varied.

The DG who was represented by Abimbola Adeboye, said many young people have abandoned their homes and schools to live in joints and under the bridges engaging in indiscriminate use of drugs.

He said: “We encounter them in those young people both male and female who have abandoned home and school to live in joints and under the bridge chasing and seeking drugs. We encounter them in the many drug related traffic accidents, which claims many lives every year. We meet them in the hospitals where many people are in bed with different sorts of drug induced or related diseases. We encounter them in the numerous cases of robbery, kidnapping, shop lifting and other violent crimes.

“Our finds reveals that one out of every four high risk drug users have been arrested for drug related offences including possession 73 per cent, theft 12 percent, sex work five percent, burglary four per cent and shop lifting two per cent. Note that this data only shows the number of arrests. So if we consider that most crimes go unreported, then we will see that we have a huge problem on our hands. Two thirds of people who abuse drugs reported having serious problems as a result – they include, missing school or work, doing poor jobs at work or school and even neglecting their family or children. These show us the bane of our society and why we must do all we can to protect our nation”.

Okoya Funmbi, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), YPG Lagos Coordinator NAFDAC-YADA said: “I call on all parents to pay more attention to the upbringing of our children even as we struggle to make ends meet and put food on the table. Our bond with our children is a strong protective factor against drug abuse.”

“The future belongs to schoolchildren. I would advise them to pay more attention to their studies, develop yourselves, build skills and stay away from drug abuse. That is the way to make your parents and the nation proud”.

0 Comments