What do you think of when you hear ‘Substance abuse’? Fear? Desire?
Lust? Disgust? Blame? Shame? Hate? Nothing? Well, for some – loved ones
we cherish, friends we could die for, family that we adore – it’s the
beginning of the end.
A woman told a heart rending story of how she lost her younger
brother to addiction – ‘codeine diet’! We watched with our
hands-on-heads and mouths-ajar as a friend showed us an Instagram video
of a person whose journey to substance abuse had turned them into a
spectacle!
At every street corner, whether the rich people’s crescents or the
not-so-rich backyard, there is a deal going down. Money is changing
hands, some powdery substance, tablet, dried leaves or vials of medicine
is being exchanged.
Let’s face it – it’s everywhere o, and who’s going to stop it? Well,
people are stepping up to the challenge. The MTN Foundation in
collaboration with various stakeholders (such as the Pharmaceutical
Society of Nigeria, Association of Community Pharmacists, Association of
Psychiatrists of Nigeria, etc) just launched a project tagged ASAP
(Anti-Substance Abuse Programme), on Wednesday, December 19th, 2018 in
Lagos. ASAP is a multi-stakeholder intervention aimed at increasing
awareness of substance abuse and addiction among youths. The goal of the
programme is to discourage first-time usage and casual substance abuse
nationwide. Lessons learnt from the press conference were simply mind
boggling! You cannot begin to imagine the amount of substances people
abuse – tyres, feaces, paint,glue?! The list is endless!
L-R: Rufai Oseni, Inspiration FM OAP, Advocate for mental wealth; Dr.
Maymunah Kadiri, Consultant Neuro-Psychiatrist, MD, Pinnacle Medical
Services and Taiwo Lateef Sheikh, President, Association of
Psychiatrists in Nigeria, discussing urgent issues at the launch of the
MTN Foundation multi-stakeholder Anti-Substance Abuse Programme (ASAP)
on December 19th, 2018 in Lagos.
It
needs to stop, and it needs to stop now, which is why we are looking
forward to everything on this ASAP initiative. There is a lot to learn
and many ways to help. The world will know we did.