Last week, the federal government banned the production and importation of cough syrup containing codeine; in order to checkmate the prevalent cases of drug abuse in the country. This move, however, has continued to generate a lot of concerns from individuals and organisations who believe that the measure is just a means to an end and not the end in itself. PAUL OKAH and ROSEMARY MORIBIRIN speak with Nigerians.
Youths should be employed The ban on codeine is commendable, but I don’t think it will stop drug abuse, because drug abuse is natural to an average Nigerian and there will always be people selling the substance in the black market.
Codeine is supposed to be a pain relief tablet, but there are situations whereby, instead of a table spoon, people swallow the whole bottle at a go. At other times, they take 4 tablets of a particular drug, instead of the 2 tablets that was prescribed by a medical practitioner.
Therefore, the ban will only limit public usage and not stop it. Just like codeine, Marijuana, as a drug, is not bad, but the uncensored use of it has led to the drug abuse situation that Nigeria is facing today.
Nevertheless, government can do something to arrest the situation if they want the ban to be effective. For instance, employment opportunities should be aff orded idle youths so that their minds can be engaged away from drugs. Joseph Omosimua a graduate.
Avenue for black market There are many drugs out there that are supposed to be banned because of their abuse by people that out to damage their lives.
Intake of codeine itself is not bad, but its abuse, especially by young people, is wrecking havoc on promising Nigerians. Codeine is an analgesic: a painkiller for certain medical conditions and very effective when taken in moderation. Long before this ban, there have been campaigns against the unlawful use of Codeine. I remember during my NYSC days, my CDS group, Drug Free and Quality Control, focused mostly on sensitization against frequently abused drugs like Codeine and Tramadol; especially by the youth.
I believe the decision by the Federal Government to ban this drug must have been hinged on medical reports; which, if not curtailed, will cause more damage than what we are seeing now. Regrettably, policies in this country are mostly lip service.
To this end,I believe every national embargo placed on a particular product becomes a greater avenue to amass wealth by those importing it; as well as for those in authority of clearing these products at the ports. In fact, pharmacies will now take advantage of this ban to sell the drug at a very high rate: illegally. Therefore, it is not all about making laws: efforts should be put in place to enforce the laws so that it will succeed. Ayerite Sylvanus, a teacher.
Addicts should be rehabilitated I am not against the government banning codeine, because it is being abused by Nigerian youths, but government should put measures in place to make sure that it is not going to be another exercise in futility. It is not just about banning such a sensitive drug that many have become addicted to, what happens to these codeine addicts? Are there rehabilitation facilities for them?
What are the control measures for the codeine already in pharmacies, hospitals and homes? These are very salient questions that should have been asked before whosoever that went public, on behalf of the Federal Government, to make the announcement. We all know that there are prominent persons in this country whose containers are never checked at the ports.
Such a ban favours them; as they will be passed through now, to still import this drug into the Ibrahim Chinyere Mary Joseph country. The intake of Codeine by Nigerians is very far from being stopped, whether there’s a ban or not. The way out is for government to embark on sensitization programs and then make facilities available for addicts to be cured. Bello Danjuma, a trader.
Ban may not work I am skeptical about the purported ban of codeine and other substances, because, at the end of the day, the government will not do a follow up to ensure that the ban is effective. Announcing the ban of this hard drugs is one thing, but making sure that it is no longer sold, either secretly or publicly, is another thing. We have always been hearing about things being banned, but the agencies responsible for the total eradication of the drugs do little or nothing at all to make sure that the drugs stay out of the reach of the abusers.
So, even though this codeine has been banned, has it been banned in every state or street? Codeine and other hard drugs are still being sold in many places despite the ban, so it is not enough to just announce the ban until government assures Nigerians that it will not infiltrate the market again.
Ibrahim Umar, a student
Agencies should form a synergy People abuse things once they discover its effectiveness. Though codeine is a hard drug for pains, it has a lot of side effects and may even cause cancer when abused.
However, despite the ban, manufacturers will still compromise the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency in order to continue smuggling the substance into the country. For instance, okirika was banned in Nigeria, but it is still finding its way into the country. Nevertheless,since the case is already with us, I suggest that codeine addicts should be identifi ed and rehabilitated.
Some people have been rehabilitated to the extent that alcohol no longer appeal to them; though it depends on the length or extent of rehab. Majek Fashek was rehabilitated and he is looking healthy now, so I think government should intensify its effort in that direction. Standard Organization of Nigeria, NDLEA and NAFDAC should form a synergy to combat this issue of drug abuse because the effectiveness of the ban will largely depend on the effort of the agency involved.
Iheanyi Obasi, a clergyman.
Ban will work with time Despite the ban of code cough syrup containing codeine, its sellers are still active in business. Some pharmacies still put it on display, where they sell the product at exorbitant prices. Just last week, a motorcyclist was saved from an overdose of Tramadol, as he was almost falling asleep while transporting two passengers. Therefore,I suggest that government should look beyond just banning codeine and concentrate on enforcing the ban.
Nevertheless,implemention of any policy involves a gradual process,so Nigerians shouldn’t expect the ban to be effective immediately. There is a saying that “Rome was not built in a day”. At least, the abuse of codeine in public has significantly reduced, as well as the display of codeine images on people’s Facebook posts. I believe it is just a matter of time before government will win the war against drug abuse. Ariyo Mary, a lab scientist.
Ban will only succeed, if… The ban on codeine should be supported, considering its gross abuse by the youth that is supposed to be the leader of tomorrow.
However, in as much as the idea is a welcome development, the bitter truth is that it may not be effective. If not tackled very well, the ban will make those selling Codein to be very rich, because there will be a high price tag on the product. The greatest problem we have in the country at the moment is the inability of agencies to do their duties. For instance, marijuana was banned long ago, but we still find people taking it. Even the Agencies responsible for enforcing Laws are being compromised to allow contraband products to find their way into the country.
If government decides to succeed in the exercise, agencies should be funded in order to carry out their duties effectively. NDLEA and NAFDAC should be provided with vehicles, personnel and every necessary wherewithal to fight this terrible situation otherwise it will turn out to be another exercise in futility. Chinyere Bamisaye, a seamstress.
Natural honey should be considered as alternative Government has done a great job by banning codeine. It is a step in the right direction because it will help in curbing drug abuse in the country, even though it will not be totally eradicated. As the ban on codeine is in place, alternative drugs should also be considered.
Just yesterday, I was having cough and went to the pharmacy to complain and was told to bring a medical test to check if it was really cough, or a doctor’s prescription before drugs can be dispensed to me.However, I took honey and the cough stopped.
Therefore, my advice to the government and the medical society is to introduce honey as a medication for cough and not codeine. Other harmful drugs should also be checkmated because codeine is not the only substance that people abuse in this country.
There are other substances worse than codeine still finding itself into the shelves of our pharmacies. Joseph Aidi, a civil servant.
NAFDAC should be returned to the port If government wants to succeed in the quest to ban codeine, it should tackle the unemployment problem being faced by youths in the country.Whether we like it or not, unemployment is the greatest cause of drug abuse in the country. People who are fully employed have little or no time to indulge in drug abuse. The truth is that government like to pay lip service to national issues until it starts to get out of hand.
Drug abuse leads to criminal activities because addicts are no longer in control of themselves once they incorporate foreign substances into their body. That is why you see cases of armed robbery, rape and what have you. Our porous borders should also be guided and our ports monitored to avoid importation of banned substances into the country.Just the other day, the NAFDAC DG, Moji Adeyeye, complained about the agency being withdrawn from the port.
When NAFDAC is remove from the port, who then will do their work at the port? She also complained of interference by NDLEA in the effort by the agency to do its constitutional duty. NAFDAC should be returned to the port in order for the war against drug abuse to be achieved. And the interference by other agencies from the government must stop for government not to be a laughing stock. Victoria Sadiq,a student.
