NAFDAC Boss Seeks FG’s Support To Fight Drug Abuse In Nigeria

NAFDAC Seeks FG’s Help On Fight Against Drug Abuse

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has requested for the support of the Federal Government(FG) to tackle the menace of drug abuse in the country.

NAFDAC Director General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, who pleaded with the FG today through a statement personally signed by her, explained that the stakeholders are working with the Minister of Health, as well as the Office of National Security Adviser and the Presidency to develop strategies to mitigate the trend.

Professor Adeyeye who also decried the rate of abuse of prescription medicines and other psychoactive substances not under international control said the fundamental objective of the drug control conventions is to achieve a balance between ensuring availability for medical and scientific purposes and preventing diversion to illicit use and abuse.

The NAFDAC boss also vowed to continually raise awareness of the public health consequences of drug abuse.

She also promised to promote healthy lifestyles through effective and comprehensive demand reduction initiatives, in accordance with the three international drug control conventions and national legislation.

The statement read, “The most commonly abused drugs in the country are tramadol and codeine.

is a synthetic opioid analgesic used to treat moderate to severe pain and is the most abused effective medicine among addicts. It has no effects on the respiratory system, but overdose causes arrhythmias, cramps, coma and death.

“In Nigeria, it is regulated as the 50 and dosage strengths but very high dosage forms of 200 and 225mg have infiltrated the market. There is also a noticeable increase in smuggling of tramadol capsules. use disorder is associated with physical withdrawal symptoms and compulsive behaviour.”

“Codeine can be obtained in a compound form in Over-The-Counter painkillers and cough medicines, but consumers often became addicted. The risk of addiction is great and, in many countries, including Nigeria consumers require a prescription for all opioid-based medication.

“The misuse of codeine products contributes to severe health outcomes including liver damage, stomach ulceration, respiratory depression, coma and death. In Nigeria, all codeine-containing products are locally manufactured and are prescription-only-medicines since 2012, but the reclassification did not stem the trend of abuse partly due to non-adherence to the provisions of prescription,” it added.