The House of Representatives has urged the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to join forces and clamp down on the use and abuse of crystal meth, also known in the South east part of the country as Mkpuru Mmiri.
This followed concerns over abusive use of the drug by youth, especially in the South-east region of Nigeria with its resultant effects, forcing the house to also direct relevant agencies to go after manufacturers of the illicit drug, as well as expand the capacity of NDLEA to deal with the use of dangerous drugs in the country.
Its committee on Drugs and Narcotics has further been mandated to ensure compliance with the resolution.
This fallout presented under matters of urgent public importance Thursday, by Henry Nwawuba, noted that the pervasive use and addiction to crystal meth by many youth of Nigeria, particularly in South east portended a great danger to users’ health and national development.
The lawmaker from Imo state said many homes in the South eastern Nigeria are presently battling with their children of youthful age on the addictive use of Mpuru Mmiri, adding that over 75 percent of the youth’s population in the area is using drugs negatively.
“The drug was developed in Japan in 1949 after the Second World War, but later was abandoned after the war. Mexican drug manufacturers had taken over the production of the drug to expand their grip of all important sector in a bid to make gain and to stall national progress,” the lawmaker recalled.
Speaking in support of the motion, the Deputy Minority Leader, Toby Okechukwu, said there has to be a marshal plan by government on the use of dangerous drugs by both youth and adults in the country.
He added that any drug that has the capacity to alter the composition of a human body is dangerous to health.
