WHAT ARE THE COMMONLY ABUSED DRUGS?
  • Cannabis
  • Cocaine
  • Methaphetamine
  • Alcohol
  • Cough Syrup with codeine
  • Gasoline, Aerosols (glues)
  • Opium
  • Heroin
  • Morphine
  • Amphetamine


WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES ASSOCIATED WITH DRUG ABUSE?

PHYSICAL: brain damage, liver damage, hypertension, excessive heartbeat, chronic bleeding, damage to unborn babies, cancer, anemia,etc.

PSYCHOLOGICAL: sleeplessness, anxiety, depression, psychosis, craving desire, distorted perception reduced coordination hallucination, panic attacks, etc.

SOCIAL: loss of job, family disintegration, expulsion from school, criminal offences, stealing, assassination, rape, armed robbery, premature death , etc.


DOES THE AGENCY HAVE REHABILITATION CENTERS? YES

ARE THERE PROFESSIONALS TO ATTEND TO DRUG DEPENDENT PERSONS AT THE CENTERS? YES

HOW DO I LOCATE THE NEAREST REHABILITATION CENTERS?
Kindly visit the nearest NDLEA state command

WHAT ARE THE REASONS FOR DRUG ABUSE?

Many reasons have been abduced to drug abuse. Some of the common predisposing factors in Nigeria are:

  • Social pathologies such as unemployment and parental deprivation
  • Emotional and psychological stresses such as anxiety, frustration, economic depression
  • Peer group pressure characterized by the desire to be accepted among friends or in social circles
  • The desire to achieve success in a competitive world; and
  • Warped (materialistic ) value system in the society such as the crave to get rich quickly.

REQUIREMENT FOR REGISTRATION OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATION(NGO)
  • Membership of not less than 10(Ten) people
  • It must have a constitution
  • Permanent structure/fixed address
  • Well-equipped internet facilities
  • Web site address
  • Must be registered with the network of NGO’s Drug Demand Reduction
  • Cooperate affairs commission (CAC) registration
  • Other areas of specialization apart from Drug Demand Reduction
  • Patrons (sponsors) board member
  • Past events in Drug Demand Reduction
  • Age of the organization

WHAT ARE GATEWAY DRUGS

Gateway drugs are substances people tend to try first when they start using drugs. These three substances are gateway drugs: Nicotine, Alcohol, Marijuana.


WHY ARE THEY CALLED GATEWAY DRUGS

Nicotine, alcohol and marijuana are called “gateway drugs” because they are the “gateway” or “point of entrance” that can lead to the use of other substances. In other words, people who use these drugs increase their risk of using other substances.


WHAT IS ADDICTION

Addiction is the physical or mental “need” for a drug. The process of becoming addicted is usually slow.for example, it can take weeks, months, and even years to become “hooked” on the nicotine in cigarettes. But once a person is addicted, getting and using the drug becomes a very important part of his/her life. Once a person is addicted to one drug, it is easier to become addicted to other drugs.


HOW CAN GATEWAY DRUGS LEAD TO USING OTHER SUBSTANCES

The moment people smoke their fist cigarette or drink their first beer, they have started a pattern of behavior that gets harder and harder to stop. And each time they are introduced to other drugs, they will be more likely to try them. Using substances also clouds a person’s judgement, making it hard to say “no” when offered other drugs.


WHY SHOULD I BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE GATEWAYDRUGS

Gateway drugs are the most commonly used, easiest to get and seemly harmless of all drugs. The pressure to try them is great. You should be concerned about them precisely because they are so popular and seem so harmless. In reality, they have many hidden dangers including addiction, physical illness and mental problems. Once a person is addicted, quitting the drug addiction keeps getting harder. That is why the sooner a person stops; the easier it is to beat the addiction.


IS ALCOHOL A DRUG ?

Absolutely! Alcohol is a drug classified as a depressant. Alcohol is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and goes directly to the brain. Alcohol is the most commonly abused drug in many countries including Nigeria.


HOW DANGEROUS IS DRUNK DRIVING?

Drunk driving is the leading cause of death in many road accidents. Automobile crashes can be traced to alcohol abuse. Almost everyday someone or some people are killed by a drunk driver.


WHAT IS WITHDRAWAL?

Withdrawal is the suffering that an addict go through when abruptly stopping drug use. Withdrawal symptoms(the body’s reaction to the physical ‘’need’’ for drug) are what make quitting so hard. Users continue taking as much to avoid as to fell pleasure. Withdrawal symptoms commonly associated with heroin addiction include these and often resemble a case of the flu. Chills, convulsions, craving for heroin, Diarrhoea, Extreme anxiety, fever, itching, runny nose, etc.


WHY DO YOUNG KIDS USE INHALANTS

Young kids use inhalants because they are cheap and easy to get. They also use inhalants for the following reasons:

  • To satisfy curiosity about the substan0ce’s effects
  • To experience the changes in perception caused by using inhalants
  • To gain recognition and acceptance from peers
  • To rebel against or challenge parents or society
NDCMP: what is it?

The National Drug Control Master Plan(NDCMP) is a strategic, results and operationally-oriented planning and implementation framework that covers key aspects of illicit drug supply and reduction impacting Nigeria. It aims to strengthen responses to drug issues in order to contribute to the enhanced health, security and well-being of all Nigerians. Simply put, it provides the road map for guiding a collaborative national drug control activities and interventions.


Is the NDCMP 2015-2019 the first Master plan for the country? NO

The NDCMP 2015-2019 is the third edition of the National plan of Action on Drug Control. The first NDCMP was published in 1999 and the second edition launched in the year 2008. Who produced the NDCMP 2015-2019? The NDCMP was produced by the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Drug Control(IMC). The Committee chaired by NDLEA is made up of 35 Stakeholders from Ministries, Departments and Agencies(MDAs) in Nigeria. The European Union(EU) supported the formulation of the Master Plan and UNODC implemented project NGAV16 “Response to Drugs and Related Organised Crime in Nigeria”.


Does the Master Plan provide a broad range of measures for addressing the drug problem in the country? YES

The main objective of the NDCMP is to progressively reduce the impact of the drug problem in Nigeria through joint national, sub-regional and inter-regional activities as well as to continue to ensure that our national policies and strategies are aligned with international treaties and conventions to which Nigeria is a party.

In order, to achieve the objectives of the plan , the NDCMP outlines four major strategic pillars on which the drug problem can be addressed. They are;

  • Law Enforcement
  • Drug Demand Reduction
  • Availability, Access and Control of Narcotics and Psychotropic substances for Medical and Scientific purposes
  • Availability, Access and Control of Narcotics and Psychotropic substances for Medical and Scientific purposes

What does the Law Enforcement Strategic Pillar stand for?

The strategic pillar is aimed at reducing the supply of illicit drugs. It focuses on the need to target mid-to-high level drug traffickers and producers. The Law enforcement strategic pillar focuses on four major themes. The first theme highlights the need to review laws from the perspective of international compliance and improve adequacy of the legal and policy framework. The second theme, titled: targeting criminal wealth, highlights programmes that will address money laundering-assets tracing, seizures, forfeiture and intelligence sharing.

The third theme of the strategic pillar addresses- intelligence ledpolicing and collaboration, promotes activities that will facilitates the shift from reactive law enforcement responses to proactive interventions. The fourth theme of the pillar highlights programmes that address professionalization and operational capability of NDLEA.


What does the Availability, Access and control of Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances for Medical and Scientific Purposes Pillar stand for?

This strategic pillar focuses on activities that will strengthen regulatory mechanisms, develop national guidelines for health professionals and aims to improve collaboration between regulatory and law enforcement agencies. This strategic pillar consists of the following themes;

  • Estimation and Quantification
  • Distribution
  • Dispensing and Rational Use
  • Control and Access

What does coordinating the implementation of NDCMP 2015-2019 pillars stand for?

This strategic pillar focuses on monitoring and evaluating the Master Plan to ensure hundred percent implementation and effective coordination of the plan.


How do I get a copy of the NDCMP 2015-2019?

You can download a copy from NDLEA website


What does the Drug Demand Reduction (DDR) Strategic Pillar stand for?

is strategic pillar aims at expanding and improving drug treatment and care services as well changing public attitudes to reduce stigmatization associated with drug use and abuse. Additionally, it promotes the delivery of evidence-based drug prevention programmes aimed at reducing the likelihood of young people getting initiated into drug use. Also, this pillar outlines activities that will strengthen the coordination of drugs and HIV and AIDS control.

In addition, will promote the establishment of a national data collection and reporting system on drug treatment in the country. The DDR strategic pillar has four themes, namely;

  • Sensitization, Advocacy and prevention
  • Treatment and Continuing Care
  • Drug Use and HIV and AIDs platform
  • National Drug Monitoring System