The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, says it has begun sensitisation on the dangers associated with drug abuse in Kaduna State.
The state Coordinator of the agency, Nasiru Mato said this in an interview to the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Kaduna.
He described the spate of drug among youths as “worrisome,” adding that the agency embarked on the sensitisation to address the menace.
“We started the sensitisation during a one-day event organised by the Kaduna Youth for Good Governance (KYGG).
“The exercise focused on creating awareness on the dangers of drug abuse, and wishes to continue sensitisation by engaging youths in other activities in the state,” he said.
The Coordinator said that drug abuse among youths increase risks related to their well-being and health which resulted to injury and death from interpersonal violence.
Mr Mato listed the risks to include road accidents, unprotected sexual behaviours, unintended pregnancy, diseases such as acquired immune deficiency syndrome, AIDS, and poor academic performances.
He noted that youths addicted to substance abuse were at higher risk than nonusers which exposed them to mental health problems, including depression; conduct problems, personality disorders, suicidal thoughts, attempted suicide, and suicide.
Others are seisures, stroke, mental confusion, brain damage, lung diseases, memory loss, attention and decision-making, which make daily living more difficult.
The Coordinator urged the youths to shun drug abuse to enable them to live a healthy live, adding that, “drug abuse is a monster and a potential silent killer.
“Drug abuse is a serious scourge on public health, thus it is counter-productive, and therefore needed joint effort to fight.’’
According to him, youths engage in drug abuse due to peer pressure, self-medication and performance improvement.
Mr Mato also stressed the need for parents and guardians to monitor their wards for any strange behaviour change.
This, he said, would facilitate early detection of signs of drug abuse such as dizziness, sleeplessness, anxiety, moral decadence, mood and emotional changes among others.
NAN
