Senate initiates two bills on drug abuse

The Senate has developed two draft bills to tackle drug abuse in the country.
The proposed bills are – National Drug Control Bill and National Mental Health Bill.
According to a statement issued yesterday by the Senate President’s Media Office, this was part of the outcome of the roundtable convened by the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, in December 2017 on the rising drug abuse in the country.
The statement said the Drug Control Bill seeks to clarify the mandate and strengthen the capacity of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to eradicate the illicit production and trafficking of controlled substances.
The statement reads: “It also seeks to establish a central mechanism to facilitate collaboration among law enforcement, regulatory and public health authorities in line with the National Drug Control Policy.
“The bill further focuses on proactive law enforcement and regulatory measures towards the eradication of the illicit importation, production and trafficking of controlled substances.
” The statement added that the bill seeks to criminalise the diversion, distribution or dispensing of controlled substances without a prescription or license.