The Federal Government said it is in the process of conducting a drug use survey.
President Bola Tinubu made this known on the occasion of this year’s United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking, an event marked every June 26.
This time themed: “The Evidence is Clear: Invest in Prevention,” the President represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume while delivering the keynote address lamented the increasing use of recreational Drug.
This, he said, necessitated the planned survey by the government to stem the tide.
Speaking, “In the face of this formidable challenge, prevention is the most potent weapon that we can deploy. Prevention not only saves lives, it also saves resources that would otherwise have been spent on treatment and rehabilitation. It empowers individuals to make informed choices, promotes healthy lifestyles, and creates resilient communities, capable of withstanding the pressures of drug abuse.
“Preventive intervention is not merely a moral imperative, but a solution to safeguarding our future by allocating resources towards various prevention programs, we can break the vicious cycle of drug abuse and protect our youth from falling prey to the menace.
“Prevention efforts must be comprehensive and must target all the elements of society, namely, schools, markets, motor parks, workplaces and communities. It must involve all stakeholders because the drug problem requires the whole of society approach and no single entity can tackle it alone.
“On this note, I enjoy all and sundry support for the war against drug abuse initiative, otherwise known as the WADA campaign, done by NDLEA three years ago. This government will support the NDLEA to build on its success recorded in the past three years. We shall work with all relevant stakeholders to ensure that we have positive statistics from the next national drug use survey to be conducted in the country. Together we can build a country where every individual has the opportunity to live a drug-free life where communities thrive and where hope replaces destruction.”
