By Correspondent in Lokoja.
The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, (PSN),says it has so far closed over illegal medicine stores in kogi state on account of being illegal stores.
Dr Lawal Muhammed, the state chairman of PSN,disclosed this on Tuesday in Lokoja while speaking on the 2022 International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking where he appeared as a guest on Grace 95.5fM,Lokoja.
In a programme, monitored by our Correspondent,Dr Muhammed described as very worrisome, the high circulation of hard and sub-standard drugs in Kogi State by quack medicine store owners, stressing that, if not quickly checked, it would pose great danger to the fragile security State of the Country
He said recent findings by the association revealed that school drop out individuals and who lost their jobs from different fields had ventured into drug businesses in the State, “just as they now see the sale of drugs as a way of making quick money.”
According to him the association has continued clamping down on more illegal medical stores and premises warning that anyone caught would face the full wrath of the law.
“Drugs are being made available, easily, especially the controlled drugs. These days, everybody goes into drugs, irrespective of who they are.
“It is amazing to hear that recently, a woman had issues with her matrimonial home, get separated, and later became a single mother.The next thing we saw was that she now has a medical store without any qualification to back it.
“They now see drug business as a means to survive. Somebody has lost his job, the next thing is to go into drug business.
“Somebody is not doing well in the business he or she is doing, the next thing is to go into drug. Drugs are not commodities you trade on. Drug are there to render healthcare service and must be handled by professionals who have indepth knowledge about it “.
The Pharmacist also expressed concern that patent medical dealers failed to stuck drugs in line with the acceptable guidelines in the Country.
” They have their guidelines. There are categories of drugs they are supposed to store, but because of the quest for making money, you will see them storing all manners of drugs.
“When the regulatory agency begins to clamp down on them, they will start coming out with sentiment that we are being witch hunted.
“Let me quickly make an illustration. If a village hunter is allowed to carry AK 47 you will agree with me that he won’t know how to use this rifle properly. The chances are high of him abusing the rifle. That is why you see that there are personnel that are allowed to handle high calibre rifles like the military.
“The same scenario is what is applicable to drugs. It is not every individual that is licensed to handle all kinds of drugs.
“We have drugs for Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary healthcare services.
“These categories of drugs are not meant to be handled by a School certificate holder or somebody who just lost his or her job or a road side seller. They are supposed to be handled by professionals,because we have safety issues around thesr drugs,” he added.
He specifically fingered importers and drug manufacturers for this growing trend of drug abuse , adding that the target given to their company representatives have strengthened the menace of drug abuse in the Country.
The chairman identified drug distribution as one of the problems negating the fight against drug abuse in Nigeria, adding that, many drugs had been sold to un-authorised medicine store outlets in the Country.
The Pharmacist said, “The drug manufacturers and importers are also part of this problem. They give out drugs to company representatives to help them market and distribute,but because the representatives are under pressure, they do otherwise.
“Their representatives are usually given target to sell their drugs. They are expected to make millions of naira for the manufacturers within a specific time. And Because they are under pressure, they don’t mind where they drop this drugs”.
According to him, banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery could be trace to illicit drug use, stressing that, many individual in Kogi State and Nigeria in general have access to all manners of drugs.
” These marketers sell these drugs to these outlets, not minding if they are authorized to sell drugs in our State. They are doing this just because they want quick money.
“They don’t mind if the outlet is licensed to store this calibre of drugs. Is like you license every citizen to carry AK 47. Of course, there will be crisis. That’s what we are having in drugs today.
“Everybody carries all calibres of drugs. Why won’t there be crisis? Why won’t there be insecurity? All this banditry, kidnapping, raping, insurgency, armed robbery attack and many more is because everybody has access to all manners of drugs” he added.
He, however, called on the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), Nigeria Police, Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria, (PCN), National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control, (NAFDAC) and security agencies to intensify efforts towards check mating menace of drug abuse in the society.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
