-As Lady Pharmacists Hold 2018 ALPs Day
The Association of Lady Pharmacists (ALPs) Lagos State Branch, in collaboration with the Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development, and other relevant agencies have called on parents/guardians to cultivate cordial relationship with their children/wards, in order to win the war against drug abuse and misuse in our society.
This call was made during the 2018 ALPs Day of the Lagos Pharmacy Week, held at the Sports Bar, Teslim Balogun Stadium, on 14 August, 2018, which was graciously attended by key stakeholders in the healthcare industry.
Dignitaries at the event include: Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Hon. Agboola Dabiri; Prof. Cecilia Igwilo; Deputy Commander of Narcotics, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mrs Stella N. Ngwoke; Baale of surulere, Chief Kareem J. Awoniyi; Iyalaje of Surulere, Chief (Dr) Islamiyat Animasaun; Representative of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) Pharm. (Mrs) C. Anyanwu; Lagos ALPs Chairperson, Mrs Modupe Alli, Lagos PSN chairperson, Pharm. (Mrs) Bolanle Adeniran and others.
The event, which featured a panel discussion on juvenile drug/substance abuse and misuse, allowed discussants time to explain the various ways drug/substance abuse and misuse had affected the future leaders of Nigeria which are the youths, urged every guardian and parent to ensure that they monitor their wards properly to discourage them from associating with bad friends, which could lure them into drug abuse.
According to the NDLEA Deputy Commander of Narcotics, Mrs Ngwoke, “Drug/ substance abuse has been taken to a higher level among youths today. There is hardly any food or drink they cannot mix it with. Our youths of today use cannabis to bake cakes, make Jollof rice, mix it with chapman, etc”.
She therefore implored parents to cultivate friendship with their children in order to detect all these tricks, and to dissuade them from it.
Speaking from the educationist point of view, another discussant, Mrs Bolanle Ogunjobi highlighted some reasons for juvenile drug/substance abuse, which include: Low esteem, peer pressure, boredom frustration, and so on.
Other factors she identified as baits for drug abuse are: manipulation of children’s age by parents in order to push them ahead of their mates in school, which she said always backfire, as such children often find it difficult to take their stand in the face of peer pressure.
She also mentioned too much of media consumption.
The Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Hon. Dabiri, acknowledge the menace of substance abuse in the state, noting that that was why the ministry has come up with a team of people saddled with the responsibility of appealing to the youths on the different social media platforms to desist from the habit.
The commissioner who was represented by the Director of Rehabilitation Department, Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Mr Olabode Ajao, said they are launching their campaigns into schools soonest, as they have found that drug abuse is practiced even in primary schools.
For the Lagos PSN Chairperson, Pharm. Adeniran, everybody is guilty when it comes to drug abuse, thus, all hands must be on deck to arrest the hydra-headed monster of drug/ substance abuse.
The Lagos ALPs Chairperson, Pharm. Alli, however appreciated all participants for the success of the 2018 ALPs Day, stating that if every member of the society will go back home and play their obligations accordingly to their children and loved ones, definitely drug/substance abuse will be reduced in our communities.
 Lagos State Branch, in collaboration with the Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development, and other relevant agencies have called on parents/guardians to cultivate a cordial relationship with the children/wards, in order to){kind=link}