The Nigerian Senate last week called for investigations of the growing abuse of drugs such as codeine that seems to be causing a lot of menace with the Nigerian youths.
Statistically, it has been recorded that the abuse of these drugs, especially the codeine cough syrup largely falls in the northern part of the country.
Adopting a motion sponsored by Bashir Garbai (APC-Borno) and 37 other senators, the Senate noted that the misuse of these pharmaceutical drugs was plaguing the teeming population of youth in Northern Nigeria.
The senator further noted that research shows that Kano and Jigawa states consume more than three million bottles of codeine syrup daily, as abusers take up to three to eight bottles daily.
He further stated that the drug has caused adverse effects especially on the youth and women across the 19 northern states in the country and has resulted in "meaningless deaths, rendered them largely unproductive and has devastated many upper and middle class families in Northern Nigeria females living in the north.
Ben Murray Bruce (PDP-Bayelsa) said before trying to curtail the menace, it is necessary to know the reasons why the victims go into the use of drugs as well as sensitise them on the consequences.
He cited unemployment, misery, poverty, hopelessness and depression as some of the reasons for which people go into drugs.
Other drugs such as cannabis and cocaine have also been an issue for plaguing the youths and the Senate are already working towards curbing it.
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