Nurse seeks effective drug laws to reduce mental cases

Mr Emmanuel Ogar, a retired psychiatric nurse with the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, Lafia, has urged the federal and state lawmakers to enact tougher laws to prohibit drug abuse.

He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia on Saturday that such step would reduce mental cases in Nigeria.
Ogar insisted that the fight against drug abuse should not be left alone with the government, saying, “it should be seen as a collective fight by all well meaning citizens of the country.

“If we continue to leave it alone to the government, it will take a longer time to achieve success.

“I believe that right from the homes, schools, offices and religious places, if we all play a part, we will eradicate this problem sooner than later’’.

According to him, the increasing cases of madness among Nigerian youths cannot be unconnected with the wrong application of drugs which he described as a norm in the Nigerian society.

He appealed to lawmakers to contribute their quota by enacting effective laws that would make drugs unattractive.

Ogar also blamed the situation on the careless attitude of some parents that had shirked their responsibility on their children, insisting that such attitude was a major cause of the rampant abuse of drugs.

“The lawmakers have a critical role to play, just like the mother, father and everyone, community leaders and even the religious leaders also have roles to play,’’ he said.

He called for more concerted efforts at fighting drug abuse among the youth to check drug abuse -related ailments