River State commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDELA), Mr Ahmed Mamuda, has advised Nigerian Association of Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers Practitioners (NAPPMED) members to desist from selling controlled drugs.
Mamuda gave the advice yesterday during a workshop organised by NDLEA in collaboration with NAPPMED at Obiakpor Local Government Area (LGA) in Port Harcourt.
He said the workshop was part of the efforts to achieve the mandate of the agency through a programme code-named War Against Drug Abuse (WADA).
The workshop had as its theme: “The Role of NAPPMED in Curbing the Menace of Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking”
He reminded the participants about the legal implications of dealing on illegal drugs, consequences of substance abuse; and their roles and social responsibility to society in that regard.
Mamuda said some of the illegal drugs were tramadol, cocaine, cannabis, tramadol, royal shrubbery flavour, rohypnol, amphetamines, lexotan.
He said the list also included ephedrine tabs, librium cap dextrose injection, phenobal injection, diazepam tablets, codeine syrup.
He urged NAPPMED members to assist NDLEA in enlightening youths who come to patronise them on the consequences of drug abuse.
Mamuda said that teaching the youths the effect and consequences of drug abuse would help to promote a drug-free society.
The chairman of NAPPMED, Obio/Akpor Unit, Mr Vincent Uwakwe, said that the award of the WADA advocate conferred on him would inspire him and his team to work more effectively with NDLEA.
Uwakwe said the workshop was an eye opener to members most of whom he said, were yet to fully appreciate their social responsibilities.
He said drug abuse would reduce if every segment of the society played its anti-drugs role effectively.
The NDLEA assistant state commander of Drug Demand Reduction Unit (DDRU), Mrs Stella-Maris Amede, spoke on the “Consequences of Substance Abuse” and outlined some of the effects drug abuse as decreased motivation and concentration, suspicious of others.
She said some of the factors responsible for indulging in drugs were dropping out of school, mental disorder, and emotional trauma.
(NAN)
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