The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, in collaboration with Patricklingo Pharmaceuticals Limited, have sensitised youths in Imo on the dangers of drug and substance abuse.
Speaking during the program at Akokwa town, Ideato North Council Area of Imo State on Monday, the NDLEA Commander in the state, Reuben Apeh, described drug abuse as “an evil wind that blows no one any good”.
Apeh, a Commander of Narcotics, thanked Patricklingo for the partnership and called on other public-spirited Nigerians to tow the same path.
He said, “We have to help the youths understand that no one who indulges in drugs lives a successful life because drugs affect not just the user, but the family and community at large.
“It leads to loss of dignity and focus, as well as severe health implications such as memory loss and psychological imbalance. We want youths to say no to drugs.”
Speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of Patricklingo, Patrick Onwuelingo, said that the partnership with the NDLEA was borne out a way of performing his company’s corporate social responsibility of discouraging the consumption of hard drugs such as methamphetamine.
He commended the activities of the NDLEA in Imo and called on youths of the community to say no to drugs and build a society that they and generations after them would be proud of.
He said, “We find ourselves in an alarming situation but we’ll continue to do our best, to speak out as elderly persons and hope that the younger generation will listen.”
Speaking on the theme ‘War Against Drug Abuse – Say No To Mkpurummiri (methamphetamine)’, an Assistant Commander of Narcotics with the NDLEA, Lamua Shehu, harped on community vigilance and increased public health awareness to combat drug abuse.
He described as “worrisome” the results of a recent survey which indicated that out of 246 million drug abusers in the world, 14.5 million were Nigerians and called for proactive measures to stem the tide.
Also, the Command’s Principal Staff Officer in Charge of Sensitisation, Uche Samson, advised the youths not to allow illicit use of drugs to destroy their dreams and ambitions.
Samson, a Chief Superintendent of Narcotics, called on schools, religious bodies and community leaders to spread the campaign against drug abuse to reduce it to the barest minimum.
