Experts have called on parents, community leaders, educators and other stakeholders to adopt proactive measures to tackle the growing prevalence of drug abuse, particularly among young people.
They made the call during interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), an estimated 14.3 million Nigerians aged 15 to 64 abused drugs in 2025, representing 14.4 per cent of the population and about three times the global average.
Mr Samuel Junaidu, a psychologist at Karu General Hospital, said drug abuse, particularly among youths, had contributed significantly to substance dependence, crime and mental health challenges.
Junaidu, while calling for urgent proactive measures to curb the trend, said many drug users resorted to substance abuse as a coping mechanism for depression, peer influence, inferiority complex and other challenges.
“The substance affects the mind of the user, cuts productivity, poor financial management, loss of jobs, properties, aggressive behaviours, dishonesty and crime,” he said.
Dr Emmabong Enya, a Senior Registrar at Karu General Hospital, said easy access to substances had become a major concern that required urgent attention.
Enya said many drug abusers exploited the availability of substances in some pharmacies and open markets to satisfy their cravings and sustain addiction.
She added that poor regulation of social media content negatively influenced drug consumption by portraying substance use as a normal lifestyle among young people.
Mr Payus Lawan-Wabas, a nurse in the Out-Patient Department (OPD) of the hospital, said awareness campaigns, sensitisation and restricted access to substances would help curb drug abuse.
He urged the Federal Government and other relevant stakeholders to invest more in the country’s mental healthcare system.
Lawan-Wabas said improved access to adequate medical tools, conducive healthcare facilities, reliable power supply and sufficient manpower would strengthen healthcare delivery and improve patient outcomes.
Meanwhile, some residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) linked the rise in drug abuse among youths to crimes such as phone theft, vehicle theft and “one-chance” robberies.
The residents expressed concern that unless urgent measures were taken to address substance abuse, communities could continue to experience heightened insecurity and social instability.
They also called for a comprehensive national response involving government agencies, healthcare professionals, schools, religious institutions, community leaders and families to tackle the growing menace.
The stakeholders maintained that while treatment and rehabilitation remained important, prevention through education, stronger regulation and community engagement would be crucial to reversing the trend and protecting future generations.
(NAN)
