Dare Babalola
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced that its operatives have seized over 10 million kilograms of cannabis in the last four and a half years.
This was made public by the agency’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), on Wednesday, during a stakeholders’ workshop themed, ‘The Cannabis Oil Debate: The Path Forward for Nigeria,’ in Abuja.
The event was organised by the Nigerian Academy of Science as part of the academy’s consensus study designed to critically examine the potential benefits and risks of cannabis oil in Nigeria.
Nigeria strictly prohibits cannabis, imposing harsh penalties for possession and use.
Yet, the global trend towards medical cannabis has sparked interest in potentially legalizing it in Nigeria to reap economic and health benefits.
The workshop is aimed at exploring the therapeutic potential of cannabis oil, examining international best practices, potential risks, and research gaps, while also reviewing Nigeria’s current laws and policies.
Also, the workshop is aimed at garnering the perspectives of various stakeholders on the legalisation of cannabis oil in Nigeria, and fostering inclusive dialogue on the potential public health and economic benefits and drawbacks, and generating evidence-based, context-specific recommendations for policymakers and stakeholders to guide a decision on the legalisation of cannabis oil for medicinal use in Nigeria.
In his goodwill message, Marwa noted that 10.6 million Nigerians use cannabis and stressed that whatever position Nigeria adopts is firmly rooted in science, responsibility, and the best interests of the people.
Marwa said that Nigeria, already struggling with widespread drug abuse, must handle the issue of cannabis carefully and responsibly.
He noted that while public discussions often focus on the possible medical and economic benefits of cannabis oil, people tend to overlook its risks, particularly its potential negative effects on mental health, especially among young people.
He said, “The prolonged or uncontrolled use of cannabis and its extracts is linked to anxiety, depression, psychosis, and cognitive impairments. In addition, dependence and addiction are real concerns as well. In reality, these side effects create additional social and economic costs for families, communities, and society at large. Another fundamental issue that we must take cognisance of is that the lack of standardised production and regulation in many countries means products sold as cannabis oil often vary in potency, contain contaminants, or are misused outside of medical supervision.
“Already, Nigeria has one of the highest rates of misuse of cannabis worldwide. For a country already grappling with 14.4 per cent substance abuse prevalence rates, against a global average of 5.6 per cent, and a staggering figure of 10.6 million cannabis users, based on the last Drug Use Survey report of 2018, the risks associated with cannabis cannot be dismissed. Rather, the reality should remind us that while cannabis oil may have medicinal potential, its dangers are real and must be addressed with strong safeguards before any policy shift is considered. Without a doubt, illicit drugs have remained a global challenge, and Nigeria is not an exception, with negative consequences.
“The operators in the illicit business are ever-dynamic in their modus operandi. This requires us to also adopt dynamic approaches to tackle the menace. Please remember that in the last four and a half years, the NDLEA has made seizures of over 10 million kilograms of cannabis — that is, 10,000 tons of illicit substances. Imagine if that had gone down to the streets and been consumed by Nigerians.”
Marwa commended the Academy for promoting informed, evidence-based discussions on the issue.
