TUE, JANUARY 29 2019-theG&BJournal-In Nigeria, an estimated 14.4 per cent or 14.3 million people aged between 15 and 64 years are on drug and the extent of drug use in the country is comparatively high when compared with the 2016 global annual prevalence of any drug use of 5.6 per cent among the adult population.
This is the result from a nation-wide survey conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) to examine the extent and patterns of drug use in Nigeria. The survey result is published today.
According to the NBS, the results of the survey aim to provide the baseline information needed for the design and implementation of effective prevention, treatment and care services that are evidence-based and targeted to reduce the demand for drugs and prevent the morbidity and mortality attributable to drug use in Nigeria.
‘’The results of this survey highlight a considerable level of past-year use of psychoactive substances in Nigeria, in particular the use of cannabis, the non-medical use of prescription opioids (mainly tramadol, and to lesser extent codeine, or morphine) and cough syrups (containing codeine or dextromethorphan),’’ NBS said.
‘’It is time to put in place, comprehensive measures designed to tackle this growing problem before it becomes an even worse national challenge,’’ the Statistician General of the Federation said at the Launch of the National Drug Use Survey in Nigeria.
He noted that drug use and its consequences are fast becoming one of the increasingly talked about challenges across our country today.
‘’It has, and still continues to affect the lives of many individuals, families, organizations and communities across our country. Many families have been broken, lives lost and relationships destroyed as a result of drug use. It has also contributed to several adverse public health conditions and increased criminal activities,’’ he said.
NBS findings reveals that in the past year prevalence of psychoactive substances excluding alcohol, overall was higher among men in Nigeria, however the gender difference in the non-medical use of prescription opioids, tranquilizers and cough syrups was less marked. Drug use was most common among those who were between the ages of 25 and 39 years, while the rates of past year use were lowest among those who were below 24 years of age. Cannabis was the most commonly used drug followed by opioids, mainly the non-medical use of prescription opioids and cough syrup. (the key findings of drug use survey are presented below).
A dichotomy in the past year prevalence of drug use was found between the North and South geopolitical zones. Highest past-year prevalence of drug use was found in the southern political zones: South-East, South-West, and South-South zones (past year prevalence ranging between 13.8 – 22.4 per cent of the population) compared to the North (ranging between 10 – 14.9 per cent of the population).
The survey revealed that 10,640,000 Nigerians use cannabis, making it the most commonly used drug. Cannabis use was 7 times higher among men (18.8 per cent among men vs. 2.6 per cent of women), while the gender gap in the non-medical use of pharmaceutical opioids (such as tramadol) was less marked (6 per cent among men vs. 3.3 per cent among women).
4,610,000 use opioids, 87,000 are on heroine while an estimated 4,608,000 Nigerians use pharmaceutical Opioids (Tramadol, Codine and Morphine). An estimated 92,000 also are on Cocaine while tranquilizers/sedatives and 2,360,000 are hooked on cough syrups.
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