.Cannabis’ growers view plant as a resource—Ondo commander

 

THOMAS IMONIKHE

As the global community marks the 2024 International Day Against Drugs and Illicit Trafficking today, parents in Nigeria have been urged to redouble their efforts in inculcating positive moral values that will dissuade their children from  illicit trafficking and abuse of hard drugs in order to reduce demand in the country.
Commander of the NDLEA in Ondo state, Comrade Kayode Raji, who gave the charge while speaking on Fact File, a current affairs phone in programme of Raypower, monitored by Daily Champion in Lagos, said the war against drug abuse must first be won in individual families before same could be achieved at the larger society and internationally.
According to him, it is “when the home is secured” against the menace that “the society is secured” adding that fathers and mothers must tell their children in clear terms that drug and narcotic substances abuse does no good but perpetual damage to the human organs and constitute permanent danger to the larger society as propeller of crimes and criminalities..
Recall that Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) had at a press briefing in Abuja recently, to kick off week-long activities to celebrate the 2024 International Day Against Drugs and Illicit Trafficking, in conjunction with other stakeholders like the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, UNODC, hinted that the grand finale will be held Wednesday June 26, at the State House Conference Centre, beginning at 9 am, “where all stakeholders will gather to formally unveil the new global policy direction for tackling illicit drug problems.”
He noted that the World Drug Day, observed on June 26 every year, “is an important day for the global community, and an occasion during which current efforts against illicit drug problems are given policy direction for the next 12 months”, stressing that theme for this year’s celebration, “The Evidence is Clear: Invest in Prevention”, underscores  the importance of preventing people from falling into the danger of experimenting with illicit drugs and subsequently falling into the trap of dependence on psychoactive substances.
However, speaking on Raypower, Raji explained that parental counsel at home and enlightenment campaign in the public space remained potent weapons to achieving demand reduction in drug abuse since the youths that constitute majority of abusers would have been adequately sensitized on the dangers inherent in the scourge.
According to him, demographic survey has revealed that about 40percent of youths in Ondo state are into drug abuse noting that the NDLEA in conjunction with stakeholders have taken awareness programmes to schools, markets and town halls to re- orientate the mindset of the people towards cannabis cultivation in addition to the evil of drug abuse.
Expressing concern that some Ondo indigenes view cannabis as a resource like crude oil to generate revenue, he said more worrisome is the fact that people from such neighbouring states as Edo and Delta relocate to Ondo state solely to cultivate cannabis plantation for profit motive.
Also featuring on the radio interview, Commander of NDLEA in Ogun state, Tijjani Rabe said the war against drug and substance abuse was being waged from two fronts, the demand reduction and supply reduction through sensitization, asking producers to stop production and the people not to abuse drugs.
According to him, the state been an industrial hub, gateway to Lagos and sharing its border with Benin Republic as well as harbouring the highest number of tertiary institutions in the country is confronted with some challenges in the war against drug abuse.
Rabe  lamented the proliferation of synthetic drugs like loud in the state adding that a 2018 survey on drug abuse showed that Ogun state accounted for 17 percent out of the 22 percent drug prevalence in the entire six states in the South West geo-political zone.
While identifying joblessness and unemployment as some of the major triggers of drug abuse, he said a world free of the menace was achievable if all hands are on deck to eradicate the scourge.
He agreed with Raji that parents must lead from the front in  discouraging their children from abusing hard drugs and refusing to be lured into trafficking by drug barons who will never enlist their wards for such nefarious activities.
Disclosing that enforcement capability of the NDLEA has been greatly enhanced under the current leadership, he said discovery of some of the drugs by the agency coupled with arrests and convictions of traffickers and barons are part of efforts to reduce both supply and demand sides of  illicit drugs.