Residents task government on substance abuse in Kaduna


Residents of Sabon Tasha, Chikun Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna state, have called on all tiers of government to improve implementation of the ban on prohibited substance and drug use across the country to eliminate abuse among women and girls.
The call came during a one day sensitisation campaign on “The involvement and effect of substance abuse among women, held at black street, Sabon Tasha, Kaduna state, with the theme: “Better Knowledge for Better Care: Ensuring A Drug Free Community for Women”, organised by the Center for Media Advocacy for Mother and Child (CAMAC).


Black street is a Kaduna community with high number of drug addicts including women and young girls. 
The sensitisation was organised due to increasing rate of women and girls who are now into drug and substance abuse in Kaduna state.
The women, who became remorseful of the acts after listening to the resource persons, noted that abusing drugs has negatively impacted their lives and that of their relatives, but that the only reason they are still into it was because the drugs were available and affordable for them. They asked government to be strict on its ban and be hard on sellers of prohibited drugs.


Some of them also pleaded with government to come to their rescue by ensuring their rehabilitation as they were already tired of taking drugs. They feared that if they should stop without being rehabilitated, it might become more dangerous for them to live.
The women thanked CAMAC team for coming to them with what they called “a message of hope and encouragement”, praying that God will grant the Center more grace to reach more people whose lives are already in serious danger as a result of drug addiction.
A resource person, Mr. Caleb Mark Ishaya, of Benjamin Bisan Shekari Foundation (BBSF) said those who abuse substance and drugs always have their body systems altered apart from the mental and psychological effects on them.
Caleb, who enumerated some of the effects of drug abuse as violence, damaged cell, chronic infection, untimely deaths, restlessness, brain tumor or diseases, damaged reproductive organs, advised that on no account should drugs be taken without doctor’s prescription.

This, he said, will amount to abuse, and later to addiction if it continues.
The Executive Director of CAMAC, Alex Uangbaoje, said abusing drugs are not just dangerous to the health of the women, it is also dangerous to the health of their children and the unborn children.
Alex, who was represented by CAMAC’s Head of Administration, Mr. Samuel Otitolaiye, said statistics have shown that a high percentage of youths and women in Kaduna state are into drug abuse.
“This calls for serious concern, as it has become imperative for everyone to join hands to save the future for women and young girls in Kaduna state,” he said.

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