Codeine and a nation hooked on substance abuse

…Stakeholders differ on effectiveness of ban
…List ways to curb menace
Until Nigerian rapper, Olamide Adedeji, a.k.a Olamide, released the single “Science Student”, what crossed the minds of many at the mention of “Science Student” was just a student that is probably familiar with reagents in a typical Chemistry laboratory or tell results of chemical reactions.

Not anymore. In his “Science Student”, the maverick rapper gave a new meaning to the traditional science student: A serial substance abuser.

Like a bad disease that has spread like a raging inferno, the spate of substance abuse among Nigerians is one that has elicited reactions and grave concern across different strata of the Nigerian society.

From bars to bus stops, hotels to clubs, secondary schools to campuses, it is not uncommon to see evidence of a nation hooked on substance, findings by The Daily Times has revealed.

Less than 24 hours after a documentary by British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on the abuse of codeine in Nigeria, the Federal Government placed a ban on the importation and manufacture of codeine-based syrup.

According to the BBC, three million bottles of the addictive syrup are consumed every day in just two northern states. It added that “thousands of young Nigerians are addicted to codeine cough syrup – a medicine that’s become street drug.

“But, stakeholders have expressed divergent views on the ban placed on the importation of codeine. While some have showered plaudits on the Federal Government, some have described the move as one that will only scratch the surface of the menace of substance abuse.

In an exclusive interview with The Daily Times, the Director General of the Consumer Protection Council, Mr. Babatunde Irukera, described the ban as timely and called for stronger regulatory postures against drugs that have adverse effect like addiction.

“It’s worrisome. On April 10, CPC put up advisory. That was three weeks before the banning of codeine. And in our advisory, what we said was that, first, we should proceed with banning, even prescription of codeine.

So, three weeks after when the Federal Government banned codeine completely, it was essentially in the direction of what we were already thinking at the CPC.

I think the use of controlled substances whether it’s codeine, tramadol or any other combination of chemical properties that has adverse effect such as addiction is a problem across the country. Nigeria is not alone in the problem but we’ve got to take strong regulatory postures against that development.’’

Contributing to the debate on whether the ban will effectively check substance abuse, the CPC boss said: “I know there is a debate about whether prohibition is the right way to go or not, but my take on that is that it is very difficult to police any conduct unless you start out by outlawing it.

I recognise the fact that, yes, they trade because it’s an addiction, they will go underground. That makes the whole law enforcement apparatus more robust. So, we welcome the ban. We are looking to work with all the appropriate authorities and regulators”.

Commenting on the possibility of making billionaires of the importers of the drug owing to the fear that it will still be smuggled into the country like other banned products, Irukera said: “I’m not sure I agree with that argument.

I don’t know if there is any evidence to support that. One thing I know is that when something becomes illegal, not everyone is inherently crimiminal by nature.

So, there is going to be a number of people who have been engaging in this who will stop because you have criminalised this.

Secondly, the fact that when what you are dealing in is a violation of law, the full weight of the law for how you control that conduct is far clearer and more robust, I have no doubt it will reduce consumption.

For instance, I read in the papers a few days ago that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency apprehended seven people in Ilorin and seized quite a number of boxes of codeine from them.

Prior to when it was outlawed, that would have been a violation of law. That would have been an interference with legitimate business, but now, it is against the law and control initiative has started.’’

Meanwhile, President of Consumer Advocacy Foundation of Nigeria (CAFON), Mrs. Sola Salako, believes banning alone will not curb the menace. adding that no single weapon can clear the infamous action.

“It’s a big problem. It’s not just about banning the production of the substance. The banning was for them to at least take control of the source of production they can control but there is the section of smuggled goods, imported ones, which are flooding the market, that’s the second stage they need to sort out.

Then, third, massive education. We need to educate the people. We need to do a lot of campaigns to explain the consequences to many of these people because when they start, they don’t know the consequences.

They only understand that it makes you go high but they don’t understand that this can affect your life forever.

“There is no one weapon that can clear it. It is going to be multiple action. They have to stop the importation and then massive education- consumer education. Very, Very important,’’ Salako added.

Dismissing the claim in some quarters that the documentary aired by the BBC influenced the ban placed on the production of codeine and its importation, Chairman of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mohammed Mustapha, said: ” I commend BBC for its effort.

It’s not true to say we will make billionaires of illicit trading of the drug. Last year, I gave the minister of health the list of drugs in Nigeria that shouldn’t be sold in Nigeria. Before the ban, we were working. We have a working relationship with NAFDAC, Ministry of Education and NACA.’’

Mustapha, who spoke on a live radio programme monitored in Lagos, urged parents to take more interest in their children and wards.
“It’s not something new.

There are other drugs that should be taken off Nigeria shops. Parents should know their children, know their friends. Parents have a role to place,” he said.

But a medical doctor, Dr. Olalekan Oke, has described the reaction of government to substance abuse as a knee-jerk reaction.

Oke called for a more coordinated approach on the part of government, adding that a thousand and one drugs are abused on a daily basis and are far from being as popular as tramadol and codeine.

Oke wondered how, for example, those who sniff biogas from “soakaway” (septic tank) to get high will be checked.

His words: “There are so many drugs that are abused. The reaction of the government is what I call the knee- jerk reaction – just like the way they banned rice, it will still be available but now more expensive.’’

Other medical experts have argued that excessive use of codeine and other drugs can cause psychosis and organ failure.