NAFDAC Sets To Promote Secondary School Programmes To Tackle Drug Abuse
The “Catch Them Young” initiative, launched by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, aims to combat the rising problem of drug misuse among Nigerian adolescents, especially in secondary schools.
During the unveiling ceremony on Friday at Government Secondary School, Tudun Wada, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Director General of NAFDAC, underscored the significance of the effort.
“The ‘NAFDAC-Catch them Young’ program focuses on drug abuse education and awareness, especially targeting the youth, who are the most affected by this crisis,” said Adeyeye in her keynote presentation.
She emphasized the critical nature of the program by highlighting startling facts, such as the fact that “14.4% or 14.3 million Nigerians are victims of drug abuse.”
The program, she continued, is a component of NAFDAC’s larger mission to work with stakeholders on drug demand reduction initiatives.
Adeyeye claims that one in four high-risk drug users in Nigeria had been arrested for offenses involving drugs. The majority of these offenses are possession (73%), followed by theft (12%), sex work (5%), burglary (4%), and shoplifting (2%).
She issued a warning, saying, “These statistics only reflect arrests; many crimes go unreported, meaning the problem is probably worse than these figures suggest.”
The goal of the Catch Them Young program is to prevent addiction by educating pupils about drugs, both legal and illicit.
Adeyeye pointed out that illicit drugs as well as legitimate, prescribed medications might cause drug addiction.
She emphasized that the goal of the program is to “have honest conversations, not to scare anyone,” with students in order to empower them to make wise decisions around alcohol and drugs.
References and Citation
punchng.com – NAFDAC unveils school programme to tackle drug abuse
thereflector.com.ng – NAFDAC Launches School Programme To Tackle Drug Abuse Amongst Youths
newsdigest.ng – NAFDAC Unveils ‘Catch Them Young’ Initiative To Tackle Youth Drug Abuse In Nigeria
naijanews.com – NAFDAC Launches Initiative To Combat Drug Abuse In Schools
