COMMEMORATING THE INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST DRUG ABUSE AND ILLICIT TRAFFICKING
June 26 annually, the global community
commemorates the 2017 edition of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. The day is being
observed by all the United Nations (UN) Member States towards sensitizing the
general public on the evitable dangers inherent in drug abuse and its illegal
trafficking, and how the societal cankerworm can be holistically crucified.
The day was established by law in the year 1987 by the United Nations (UN) following the unanimous
resolution reached on 7th December
1987 by its General Assembly. The said Assembly decided to observe June 26 of
every year as the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking
as an expression of its determination to strengthen action and cooperation in
order to achieve the goal of seeing an International Society that is totally
free from all forms of drug abuse.
The last time I
checked, one of the optimum desires of any society in a sober state was to
experience a serene and tranquil atmosphere, and the Nigerian society isn’t
exceptional. In other words, every man’s paramount desire is to embrace a
trouble-free environment or atmosphere since every society is comprised at
least a man. This significantly means that a Nigerian, on the average, looks
forward to embracing a Nigerian society that can wholly boast of a trouble-free
environment.
An abuse, in a nutshell, can be described as a misuse of anything whilst
drug is any substance used as a medicine or an illegal substance taken for its
stimulating and other effects. Thus, drug abuse is simply the misuse of a
substance used either as a medicine or stimulant. On its part, illicit drug
trafficking is an act involving an illegal trading in drugs or other related substances
forbidden by law.
Considering the above definitions, apparently drug abuse is a social ill
that involves two distinct dimensions. It could be the misuse of a substance
used as a medicine or the improper intake of medicine by an individual.
Secondly, it could be the intake or misuse of a stimulant that’s not supported
by law such as cocaine, cannabis, marijuana, and Indian helm, just to mention
but a few. The former is often as a result of ignorance or negligence, while
the latter is wholly a criminal and illegal act, and appears to be more
dangerous to both human and animal health compare to the former.
Prior to the resolution for an
International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in 1987, the UN
General Assembly understood that in spite of the continual and increasing
efforts by the international community, the global drug predicament continued
to constitute a severe threat to public health, the safety and well-being of
humanity especially the young people, and the national security and sovereignty
of States thereby undermining the socio-economic and political stability of the
affected nations.
Thereafter the resolution was reached, the Assembly encouraged the United
Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to continue its work on International
Drug Control, and went further to urge all governments to provide the fullest possible
financial cum political assistance to enable the organization (UNODC)
actualize its objectives. The UNODC recognizes that the effort of every
stakeholder and corporate body is required toward actualizing the prime motive
of this commemoration.
To this end, as the world celebrates
this remarkable day, I call on governments, NGOs, religious bodies, civil
societies, medical experts, every concerned law enforcement agency, the media,
and all well-meaning individuals across the globe, particularly Nigeria, to do
everything humanly possible to raise awareness of the unquantifiable harm
caused by drug abuse and its illicit trafficking.
We can contribute our respective quotas by ensuring that anyone caught
in the act is reported to the apt quarter as soon as possible to enable the law
act aptly as requested. Similarly, the Traditional Rulers can be of vital help
by fishing out the bad eggs in their midst regarding drug abuse and thereafter
drag them to the nearby police station for onward prosecution.
In regard to self-medication and other forms of drug abuse attributed to
ignorance or lack of orientation, a thorough awareness campaign on the dangers
of intake of drugs without the consent of a qualified physician ought to be
embarked on by every relevant organization such as the civil society and
religious institutions, and every avenue including the mass media should be
used to reach out to the general public.
The plight occasioned by illicit trafficking cannot be adequately
addressed without the candid and thorough involvement of such concerned
authorities as the Nigerian Drug Law and Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the
Nigerian Customs Service (NCS). The former must ensure that their personnel are
equally mounted on our various major roads toward ensuring that various vehicles
as well as travellers are duly checked if necessary; the latter ought to
equally endeavour to work hand-in-hand with the former at the various borders
toward attaining accuracy and efficiency.
Both agencies shouldn’t hesitate, either individually or collectively,
to prosecute any suspect no matter whose ox is gored to serve as a deterrent to
other intending traffickers. Above all, the Ministry of Interior must ensure
that all the relevant agencies or commissions are living up to the expectations,
come rain come shine.
On their part, the individuals or group of persons abusing the drugs
should also help themselves. They ought to acknowledge the fact that misuse of
medicine such as self-medication, consumption of medicine without consulting an
apt medical expert, and intake of over/under dose contrary to the doctor’s
prescription, are all a death-trap that could take one’s life unannounced.
Those who take hard drugs or the ones the law forbids, which invariably
lead to anxiety, panic, depression, brain fag or damage of brain cells, mental
imbalance, protracted illnesses, death, or what have you, should note that the
ongoing restrictions as stipulated by law are solely for the sake of their
well-being. On their part, those involved in the illegal cultivation,
production, or trafficking of the hard drugs ought to be aware that many have
lost their precious lives in the process while many are presently rotting in
jail.
Though most of these hard drugs are very useful raw-materials often used
in several firms to manufacture a quite number of useful products or finished
goods, the obvious fact remains that we’re not meant to consume them when they
are still in their raw states. Thus, we must be very conscious of this
assertion irrespective of the circumstance we find ourselves.
There is also need for us to acknowledge that absolute decency is
required while consuming those stimulants that are not forbidden by law such as
snuff popularly known as ‘Utaba’, cigarette, cigar, whisky, dry gin otherwise
referred to as ‘Kai-Kai’, et cetera. We are required to comport ourselves in
whatever action we take or while exercising any lifestyle, so that, our
paramount desire of embracing a trouble-free and tranquil society would be duly
actualized. Think about it!
Comrade FDN Nwaozor
-----------------------------
-Public
Affairs analyst & Civil Rights activist-
Executive
Director, Docfred Resource Clinic - Owerri
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