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From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The House of Representatives has decried the effects of drug abuse and trafficking in the country, saying it has reached alarming proportions.
The Chairman, House Ad-hoc Committee on Drugs, Trafficking, Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse, Oluwatimehin Adelegbe, while speaking at the commencement of a probe into rising cases of drug abuse in the country, said it is a threat to the country.
Adelegbe explained that the probe is intended to unravel the systemic failures responsible for the development, so as to be able to proffer lasting solutions.
According to him, the national reality that cannot be ignored is that cannabis is smoked freely in the streets like cigarettes, while the use of methamphetamine is spreading across the nation at an alarming rate.
He added that codeine-based cough syrups are sold freely like soft drinks, noting that tobacco companies are exploiting loopholes to target minors through flavours, informal retail channels and deceptive marketing.
Adelegbe said: “Today, we gather under the mandate of the Nigerian people and under the solemn weight of a national emergency that threatens the soul of our country.
“Substance abuse, illicit drug trafficking, unregulated pharmaceutical distribution, predatory alcohol marketing, and aggressive tobacco promotion have converged into a dangerous crisis.
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“This crisis is stealing the health of our youth, weakening our labour force, destabilising our communities, and undermining our collective future.”
Furthermore, the lawmaker stated that “entire communities have been crippled by addiction, crime and preventable deaths. Nigeria is losing too many lives, too many futures, too many families.
“As lawmakers, we must rise to the responsibility placed upon us. The Nigerian people expect answers, solutions and firm action, not excuses.
“Let it be emphasised that this investigation is not anti-business or a witch-hunt, but an accountability session.
“We support industries, we value investors, and we welcome innovation, but no business model can be allowed to thrive at the expense of Nigerian lives. No profit margin can justify the destruction of our youth.
“No corporate actor will be permitted to hide behind compliance rhetoric while fuelling an addiction epidemic. Every stakeholder invited here is a partner in protecting Nigeria, and your cooperation is not only expected, but required.”
