CONSIDERING the menace and negative effects of drug abuse among the youth and to some extent unmarried women, Federal and state governments have been urged to as a matter of urgency put in place drastic measures that will aid in curtailing the menace which is on the increase in the country particularly in the Northern part as it is negatively affecting the economics of the country.
The call was made by a lecturer in the Department of Economics and Development, Federal University, Kashere (FUK), in Gombe state, Dr. Anas Ibrahim Kubalu while speaking during the annual Ramadan Lecture series organized by the Gombe State branch of the Islamic Medical Association of Nigeria (IMAN) with the theme: ‘Drugs abuse and its menace to the Society’ held at the Gombe State University on Sunday.
Ibrahim Kubalu opined that the Socio-Economic implication of drugs abuse courses coax among the family that results in divorce, violence, losing unity among family, while others are armed robbery and theft.
The University Don further added that the Economic implication is a loss of potential manpower, lack of productivity among youths because they will be sleeping all day long and there will be declining in the market which can make the GDP to drop.
He, therefore, suggested that drastic measures should be put in place by governments at all levels in order to check the menace which he said is fast spreading like wildfire.
Also speaking at the occasion Dr. Umar Shuaibu of the Psychiatric Department, Gombe State Specialist Hospital said that involving Community and Religious leaders together with parents towards a good moral upbringing will assist in the reducing the abuse of psychoactive substances in the society.
The Guest Speaker, who is a renowned Islamic Scholar, Sheikh Sani Umar Rijiyar Lemo in his own lecture said that inculcating a good moral upbringing among the society was the only solution to drugs abuse menace.
The Chairman, Gombe State branch of the Islamic Medical Association of Nigeria, (IMAN), Malam Danladi Adamu said that the choice of this year’s theme ‘Drugs abuse and its menace to the Society’ was based on the report of the increasing prevalence of abuse of drugs amongst Nigerians which cuts across all sexes, groups and ages.
Danladi Adamu also lamented that drugs abuse was a societal menace which needs a collective effort in curtailing by all particularly those in authority.
and then