ERA urges NPF to extend drug war to sale of tobacco products to underage persons

Following the recent seizure and destruction of hard drugs worth over N50million at Ojota and the arrest of suspects linked to the drug business by the Lagos state command, the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has call on the Lagos state commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimihad to extend drug war to sales of tobacco product to underage.

Speaking with Daily Times, the Deputy Executive Director of ERA/FoEN, Akinbode Olufemi has said that the campaign of the Nigeria Police to get rid of hard drugs in Lagos was long overdue; adding that the recent campaign would send a strong message to dealers of hard drugs that Lagos is no longer a safe haven for the illicit business.

“We would described this initiative by the Lagos police as a life-saver and very timely, the effects will be far-reaching if extended to the point of sale of cigarettes dotting Lagos State landscape that has been points for recruiting underage smokers”.

Olufemi however, said that youths who take to hard drugs always start with cigarettes with the recent campaign of NPF to get rid of hard drugs in Lagos, would only remain a success, if there would be a corresponding enforcement of sections of the Nigeria Tobacco Control (NTC) Act 2015 recently announced by the Health Minister, Prof. Isaac
Adewole relating to the sale of cigarettes to minors.

Olufemi noted that, by gratifying that the police was taking these actions on the heels of the recent release of the Big Tobacco Tiny Targets Nigeria Report, which exposes widespread sales of tobacco products along paths of Primary and Secondary schools in five states in the country with the growing number of deaths cases from substance of drug abuse.

He maintained that the deliberate display of tobacco products next to sweets and drinks, has made the substance more easily accessed by school pupils, with the sales of single tobacco sticks at very affordable rates, among other tactics of getting children to smoke and ultimately get addicted.

Oluwafemi explained that the fact that the Big Tobacco; Tiny Targets Nigeria Report documents cases near schools around Lagos, Nasarawa, Enugu, Kaduna and Oyo has puts a huge responsibility on the Police Force to clampdown on the point of sales of this hard drug s that includes: Arizona drugs, S.K Kong, Indian hemp and codeine.

“We do not mince words when we say we welcome the Lagos police’ for the seizure and clampdown partnership with other agencies of government to nip the hard drug menace. Enforcing the NTC Act will bring about a speedy attainment of a drug-free society,” he said.

Olufemi however, urged the Lagos State Police Command to prosecute individuals and companies found targeting underage smokers in the society.