Group partners NDLEA in war against drug abuse

A foundation, Salvaging Our Future Today (SoFT) is partnering with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) against drug abuse in Lagos.

The group at the weekend led a sensitisation march from the General Hospital Ikeja, and terminated at Alausa seat of the Lagos State Government to commemorate the 2021 International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2021.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), has set aside June 26, every year, to raise awareness against drug abuse and illicit trafficking.

President of SoFT, Mr. Joseph Obi, who led the march, said the theme: “Share facts about drugs, save lives”, aims at improving the understanding of the world problem as well as fostering greater international cooperation for countering its impact on health, governance and security.

According to him, “It is no longer an assumption that drugs and other forms of criminal activities have a symbiotic relationship. As drug abuse increases, crime also increases with the need to support the very expensive drug habit. The instant alteration of the mind, which occurs at the intake of any hard drug, leaves the individual ready to do and undo.”

Obi commended government agencies, individuals and organisations that have been working to tackle drug abuse, saying that the Foundation decided to boost the campaign with well thought-out action plans.

Chief Operating Officer of Foundation, Mrs. Nkechi Ibeneme, lamented that drug abuse and its consequences had assumed a pandemic proportion on individuals and society at large.
Ibeneme said it was one of the many action plans adopted to inform and educate Nigerians.

The group distributed flyers that educated Nigerians on types of drugs, legal and illegal drugs.
Some of the flyers read: “Legal drugs are socially acceptable drugs which use is permitted by the law for treatment of disease and recreational purposes.