Date: 2018-04-14

The Association of Industrial Pharmacists of Nigeria has said that the rising wave of drug abuse in the country, especially among youths, is dangerous to national development.

Making the statement in Lagos on Friday during a press briefing ahead of its 21st Annual National Conference in Ilorin, Kwara State, during the week, the National Chairman of the organisation, Ignatius Anukwu, said that government at all levels in the country must take urgent steps to arrest the troubling situation.

While identifying the poor enforcement of laws meant to regulate the sale and distribution of pharmaceutical products in the country as a major cause of this problem, Anukwu said that efforts must be intensified to ensure that drugs would no longer be sold without the prescription of a doctor.

He said, "We are greatly concerned by the rising cases of drug abuse in the country. Many youths and even women now abuse drugs; this is very dangerous to the development of the society.

"We are disturbed by this trend and shall embark on a walk to educate members of the public on the dangers of drug abuse and how to combat it during our 21st Annual National Conference in Ilorin. Aside from this, we shall also work with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control to fight this menace.

"But above all, there is a need to come up with a strategy to reposition our country for self-sufficiency in the production of essential medicines. It is not good that over 70 per cent of medicines used in Nigeria is imported. As a group of professionals and stakeholders in the sector, we shall continue to put pressure on the government to do the right thing."