Nigerian singer, Adekunle Temitope professionally known as Small Doctor, has raised an alarm over the increasing on drug abuse among the youths.
The musician said he was alarmed after visiting a street where he grew up in Lagos State, Nigeria, he said what he saw made him to raises the alarm.
“When I Arrived My Hood, I Saw Some Promising Guys We Grew Up Together Sleeping While Standing”, the artist wrote on X. According to him, someone had told him six years ago to build a rehabilitation centre in Lagos, stressing it’s the ‘new oil’.
“Wasiu Ayinde Told Me 6 Years Ago To Establish A Rehabilitation Centre, Stating It Is The New Oil. That Man Saw The Future.”
“I Strolled Through Hoods On Sunday And What I Saw Was Heart Breaking. The Rate Young Chaps Use Drugs Nowadays Is Alarming.
“Most Heartbreaking Was When I Arrived My Hood, I Saw Some Promising Guys We Grew Up Together Sleeping While Standing ♂️, Some Were Even Making Some Crazy Postures While Sleeping. So Sad
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, drug use in Nigeria is estimated at 14.4% or 14.3 million people aged between 15 and 64 years.
The most commonly abused drugs include cannabis (10.8%), opioids such as tramadol, codeine, or morphine (4.7%), and cough syrups containing codeine and dextromethorphan (2.4%).
The risk factors for drug abuse in Nigeria include male gender, age 25-39 years, and being a sex worker.
Additionally, studies have shown that reasons for drug abuse among Nigerian adolescents and youths include getting high, forgetting about problems, cheering up when in a bad mood, fitting in with a group, and having fun.
