Pharmacists have called for a coordinated national response to tackle the growing menace of drug and substance abuse in universities, warning that the trend poses a serious threat to students’ health, academic performance and the country’s future.

They noted that substance abuse has become increasingly prevalent not only in tertiary institutions but also in secondary schools, stressing the need for urgent and decisive interventions to protect young Nigerians.

The call was made during a webinar themed, ‘Campus Crisis: Addressing Drug and Substance Abuse in Nigerian Universities’, organised by the Board of Fellows (BOF) of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN).

Delivering the keynote presentation, Professor of Pharmaceutics and former Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ibadan, Prof. Oluwatoyin Odeku, described drug abuse as a national crisis that is undermining character development and the future of young people.

She noted that experimentation with illicit drugs and psychoactive substances often begins in the first year of university, when many students are most vulnerable.

According to her, academic pressure, the desire to excel and the glamorisation of drug use on social media are driving many undergraduates into substance abuse.

Odeku warned that the emergence of new psychoactive substances and the increasing practice of combining multiple drugs have complicated treatment, leading to worsening mental health conditions and organ damage.

She expressed concern that Nigeria currently lacks legislation regulating many of the new psychoactive substances, stressing that pharmacists have a critical role to play in curbing the growing menace.

She advocated expanded academic and clinical research, stronger leadership and innovation within the profession, and greater involvement of pharmacists, particularly in community pharmacy practice, to discourage the inappropriate dispensing of medicines.

Odeku also questioned the integrity of the country’s drug distribution system and called for stronger collaboration among regulatory agencies, including the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), to improve compliance, surveillance and enforcement.

She stressed that drug abuse represents a broader social crisis affecting young people, families and communities, requiring coordinated, multi-sectoral interventions rather than isolated efforts.

Chairman of the BOF Drug and Substance Abuse Committee, Dr Kingsley Amibor, said university campuses, once regarded as centres of learning and character formation, are increasingly threatened by rising cases of substance abuse.

He noted that the trend has contributed to addiction, mental health disorders, poor academic performance, violence and the destruction of many promising futures.

“This problem affects all of us. As pharmacists and custodians of medicines, and as the Board of Fellows of PSN, we have a duty to speak up and act. Silence is complicity,” he said.

Amibor explained that the webinar was organised to raise awareness about the causes and consequences of substance abuse on campuses, equip students, parents and institutions with prevention and early intervention strategies, and develop practical recommendations for drug-free universities.

Also speaking, Prof. Mohammed Garba Magaji of Ahmadu Bello University said that many universities are beginning to adopt preventive and rehabilitative approaches instead of relying solely on punitive measures.

He proposed establishing Drug and Substance Abuse Counselling Committees in every university, domiciled in the Office of the Vice-Chancellor, to coordinate prevention, counselling and rehabilitation programmes.

Former Commissioner for Secondary and Tertiary Healthcare in Imo State, Prof. Michael Ubaka, argued that government alone cannot effectively address the challenge, calling for sustained public awareness campaigns, active surveillance and continuous stakeholder engagement.

Student leaders at the webinar highlighted the importance of parental guidance, sound moral upbringing and greater student participation in anti-drug campaigns. They identified peer pressure and the influence of social media as major drivers of substance abuse among undergraduates and urged universities to involve students more actively in designing and implementing preventive programmes.

Responding to questions, the National President of the Pharmaceutical Association of Nigerian Students (PANS) observed that knowledge of drugs does not necessarily prevent substance abuse, noting that even pharmacy students sometimes misuse drugs, particularly during examination periods, underscoring the complexity of the problem.

In his remarks, Chairman of the Board of Fellows of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Uche Apakama, described drug and substance abuse as one of the most pressing public health and social challenges confronting educational institutions and the country.

He said pharmacists have both a professional and moral responsibility to promote the rational use of medicines, advocate healthy lifestyles and contribute meaningfully to national efforts aimed at preventing substance abuse.

According to him, advocacy, education, research, policy engagement and community outreach remain critical tools through which the profession can make a lasting impact.

Apakama added that the webinar provided an important platform for knowledge sharing and the development of practical, evidence-based strategies for prevention, early intervention, treatment, rehabilitation and multi-sectoral collaboration.