Pharmacists advocate stiffer penalties for drug trafficking, abuse

The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has
called on the Federal Government to ensure
stiffer punishment for perpetrators of drug
trafficking to curb the menace in the country.
Mr Jelili Kilani, Chairman of PSN FCT Branch,
made the call in an interview with the Newsmen
in Abuja on Monday to mark International day
of drug abuse and illicit trafficking.
The day is marked on June 26 annually by the
United Nations and the 2017 theme is ‘Listen
first’.
Kilani noted that listening to children and youths
was the first step to help them grow healthy and
safe.
Kilani, who is also the Assistant Director, Drug
Information Services and Pharmacovigilant
Activities, National Hospital, identified drug
trafficking as detrimental to health and society at
large.
He said that drug trafficking was a global trade
involving the cultivation, manufacturing,
distribution and sales of substances, which were
subject to drug prohibition law.
Kilani decried the rate of drug trafficking and
other substances in the country, and blamed it
on Nigeria’s porous border, inappropriate
measures to checkmate the menace and lack of
stiffer punishments.
He described drug abuse and trafficking as
poison to the well-being of youths which posed
greater challenges to the socio-economic and
political stability of the country.
“Our borders should be more tightened in terms
of security to prevent easy access to illegal
drugs into the country.
“The government should ensure that whoever is
caught will be made to face the law.
“The problem we have with our legal system is
that once somebody is guilty of the offence and
able to afford lawyers he is set free.
“This is not the case in other countries as soon
as you are caught trafficking heroin or cocaine
the perpetrator is sentence to death.
“In Nigeria no capital punishment is applied
hence people still engage in such unwholesome
practices without caution.
“We should always think of implications or
havoc to individuals and the larger society.
“Considering its harmful effect on individuals
and society, government should ensure that
anybody or group caught indulging in the act
are severely dealt with to serve as deterrent to
others.
“Unless we reduce demand for illicit drugs we
can never fully tackle cultivation, production or
trafficking.
“Government have a responsibility to counteract
both drug trafficking and abuses,” Kilani said
The International day of drug abuse and illicit
trafficking is set aside by the United Nations to
raise awareness on the major problems that
illicit drugs represent to the society.
UN General Assembly in December, 1987 set
aside June 26 as International day against drug
abuse and illicit trafficking in view of the growing
menace of drug trafficking to the deterioration of
quality of life,
The day is commemorated to make people
aware and emphasised the hazards of drug
addiction and illegal trafficking.
The day is supported by individuals,
communities and various organisations all over
the world to chart a course to rid the society of
illicit drugs.