THE Oyo State government says that it takes the development of youth serious and no matter government’s investment in them, if the menace of drug addiction is not addressed, these efforts will be in futility.
Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde speaking at the 2021 World Tobacco Day organised by Goodworker Ministry International (GMI) at Bishop Phillips Academy School said it was important that youths abstain from tobacco use because of its addictive nature and the dangers involved in tobacco use and other hard drugs.
Makinde, who spoke through his Executive Assistance (Administration), Reverend Idowu Ogedengbe said tobacco use can affect cognitive ability and so the importance of increasing awareness on dangers of tobacco use among youths.
According to him, given that 38 per cent of global tobacco users started as early as 14 years, youths should not be lured into smoking because it is a gradual killer and an entry point to other harmful drugs.
National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Oyo State Commander, Josephine Obi, said although tobacco use is socially acceptable, its adverse effects are equally experienced by people around smokers since they also inhale its smoke.
Obi, speaking through Mrs. Titilope Asuru, NDLEA’s Chief Superintendent of Narcotic, urged parents not to smoke at home because of its effects on their children and individuals to tell people not to smoke around them.
Executive Director, Goodworker Ministry International, Tunji Agboola stated that teens that smoke cigarettes are five times more likely to drink alcohol, they are also 13 times more likely to abuse marijuana and seven times more likely to abuse drugs like cocaine and heroin.
Agboola said such statements about drugs as “drug can hurt if a person only tried it once”, “marijuana is a safe drug, especially if you use it occasionally” and “substance abusers don’t need treatment; they just need to try harder to quit” are not true.
He said the experience at the GMI’s rehabilitation facility centre since 2002 indicated that millions of naira could be spent in the attempt to rehabilitate a drug-addicted person and still, the outcome may still not be positive, making drug abuse prevention at whatever cost cheaper and better.
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