By Evelyn Usman 

Nigeria is facing a growing crisis with synthetic drugs, with stakeholders warning of devastating consequences if urgent actions are not taken.

This  was the finding of a research carried out by the Global Initiative on Substance Abuse, GISA.  The three month research conducted in the six geo-political zones of  Nigeria,  found that people between 16 and 30 years old are taking synthetic drugs, with Nigeria witnessing a  rapid expansion of synthetic drugs in the past 14 years .

Speaking at a stakeholders’ forum for the presentation of the report on Rapid Assessment on Synthetic Drugs in Nigeria, yesterday,  the Founder and Executive Director of GISA, Dr. Martin Agwogie , expressed worry that over the increased  seizure of  tramadol .

 Dr. Agwogie said: “Synthetic drugs are usually more potent than their counterparts, with more significant effects. For example, users of synthetic cannabinoids are 30 times more likely to end up in an emergency department than users of traditional cannabis. Synthetic drugs have become a major threat in global drug production, marketing, and consumption. “As many of us may already know, the threat of synthetic drug use has become a major global concern. Recent reports from the United States show that over 75,000 lives are lost annually to synthetic drug use, particularly synthetic opioids. That’s over 200 deaths daily. More worrisome is that there has been a rapid expansion of synthetic drugs in Nigeria since the past 14 years. For example, as of 2013, Nigeria was one of the countries in the world that had not officially reported the emergence of synthetic drugs.

“ However, in 2017 and 2018, Nigeria reported the largest annual quantities of tramadol seizures worldwide, with 96 and 22.6 tons, respectively, due to high demand and non-medical use of tramadol capsules with dosages of up to 500mg. As a country, Nigeria is about 3% of the world population but accounts for 14% of the world’s population who misuse pharmaceutical opioids, making it one of the countries with the highest number of people who misuse tramadol and cough syrups containing codeine. Similarly, he said, “Nigeria has the highest level of ingenuity in substance use in the world, with the use of complex mixtures and unimaginable substances, which has become a major challenge in substance use prevention and treatment.”

 Though he clarified that most synthetic opioids responsible for deaths in the United States are not commonly used in Nigeria today, he called for vigilance to early warning signs and concerted efforts to prevent this epidemic.

In his remarks, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, described the presentation of the Rapid Assessment on Synthetic Drugs in Nigeria as apt, noting that it came at a time of growing concern about the increased prevalence and devastating effects of synthetic drugs within the country’s borders. 

The anti-narcotics boss, who was represented by the Deputy Director of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation,  ACG Archie-Abia Ibinabo, said that globally, synthetic drugs, which were often clandestinely manufactured, were not only difficult to detect but also had grave consequences for users.

The anti narcotics boss said :”These substances have devastating effects on mental and physical health, contributing to an increasing number of hospitalizations, psychiatric disorders, and deaths. The manufacturing process itself is hazardous, often resulting in environmental degradation and the endangerment of entire communities. Unlike traditional drugs, synthetic substances pose unique challenges in production, distribution, and consumption. The chemicals used in the manufacture of synthetic drugs, such as methamphetamine, synthetic cannabinoids, and other new psychoactive substances, are easily accessible, contributing to their proliferation.

“The challenge is exacerbated by the complex nature of synthetic drug markets, which operate largely through clandestine networks adept at exploiting weaknesses in legal frameworks and enforcement capabilities. In this context, Nigeria faces the dual challenge of dealing with both international trafficking syndicates and domestic production networks,” he noted.

 He said the NDLEA was working tirelessly to address the synthetic drug challenge through enhanced law enforcement operations,  international cooperation as well as  strengthening legal frameworks to better address the complexity of synthetic drug control.

On his part, the Director of the Pharmaceutical Inspectorate Unit of the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Pharmacist Moses Awolola, appreciated GISA’s efforts in the research he described as expository and noted that  the days of drug abuse campaigns being about the slogan “say no to drugs” were gone, and had evolved to a knowledge-based approach life GISA’s research.

 He disclosed that efforts to create a database of patients in Lagos State had begun, with the aim of  detecting drug-related symptoms on time and providing necessary medical attention before it degenerates into a psychopathic condition. He also said that the Lagos State government had rehabilitation homes for those undergoing treatment in that regard .