The world has a drug problem

THE observance of this year’s International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, themed “The World Drug Problem: Persisting Issues, New Challenges, Innovative Responses,” is a timely reminder of a growing crisis that continues to devastate lives, families, economies, and societies across the globe.

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the observance provides “an opportunity to reflect on the continued and evolving impact of the world drug problem in all its dimensions” and “exchange views on priority concerns and innovative, evidence-based responses.”

The statistics are alarming. Globally, roughly 316 million people, representing about six per cent of the world population aged 15 to 64, use illicit drugs.

Of this figure, an estimated 64 million people suffer from drug use disorders, otherwise known as clinical addiction. This marks a significant increase over the past decade, fuelled by population growth, expanding synthetic drug markets, and increasingly sophisticated trafficking networks.

Cannabis remains the most widely consumed illicit substance worldwide, with over 200 million users. Equally troubling is the rapid expansion of the cocaine market, with global production recently reaching a record 3,708 tonnes.

Synthetic drugs such as methamphetamine and pharmaceutical opioids have also become dominant, particularly in West and Central Africa, North America, and Southeast Asia, where they continue to wreak havoc on vulnerable populations.

Unsurprisingly, substance abuse and overdose claim hundreds of thousands of lives annually, with opioids accounting for the overwhelming majority of fatal overdoses.

Nigeria is not insulated from this global epidemic. Indeed, the country’s situation is even more troubling. As of January 2025, about 14.3 million Nigerians, or 14.4 per cent of the population aged between 15 and 64 years, are involved in drug abuse.

This figure is almost three times the global average of 5.5 per cent. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency estimates that over 10 million Nigerians use cannabis, making it the most abused drug in the country.

The NDLEA seized drugs worth N134.2 billion in 2024. In its single largest haul, it seized methamphetamine valued at $362.92 million (N480 billion) from a syndicate in Ogun State in May.

Particularly disturbing is the growing involvement of women in substance abuse. One in every four drug users in Nigeria is a woman, underscoring the changing dynamics of the crisis and the need for gender-sensitive interventions.

Poverty, unemployment, social dislocation, and a lack of economic opportunities continue to drive many Nigerians towards substance abuse as a means of escape from the mental strain of hardship.

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The challenge varies across regions. In Lagos State, 33 per cent of drug users are reportedly addicted primarily to cannabis, while opioid abuse accounts for 16 per cent of drug use cases in Kano State. The North-Central and South-West zones lead in drug-related cases, followed closely by the South-South region.

The warning recently issued by the Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, therefore deserves serious attention.

He rightly described drug abuse as a multi-dimensional problem affecting public health, security, social stability, and economic productivity. “Drug abuse is not merely a law enforcement issue; it is a public health concern, a developmental challenge, and a threat to the future of our youths,” AbdulRazaq noted.

His concerns are well-founded. Drug abuse undermines educational attainment, destroys families, fuels criminality, weakens productivity, and places enormous pressure on healthcare and social welfare systems.

Worse still, evolving drug trafficking networks and the increasing availability of synthetic substances are exposing more young people to addiction and its devastating consequences.

Nigeria’s strategic location further complicates the problem. The UNODC identifies the country as a major transit point in West Africa for cocaine from Latin America and heroin and methamphetamine from Asia, destined for Europe, East Asia, and North America. This position continues to attract international trafficking syndicates and heightens the risk of increased domestic consumption.

The efforts of the NDLEA in combating drug trafficking and abuse are commendable. The agency has intensified enforcement operations, seized significant quantities of illicit substances and arrested over 50,000 suspects for drug-related offences in recent years.

In a landmark, the NDLEA recently dismantled a methamphetamine lab in Ogun State run by Mexican cooks brought to Nigeria by a drug syndicate and seized about N480 billion worth of meth and precursor chemicals. Over 10 suspects were arrested in that record bust.

However, arrests and seizures alone cannot solve the problem.

While the NDLEA Act remains the cornerstone of Nigeria’s drug control framework, the country requires a more comprehensive and balanced approach that combines enforcement with public health interventions.

Federal and state governments should substantially increase funding for prevention campaigns, treatment centres, rehabilitation programmes, and community-based awareness initiatives.

Law enforcement agencies must be better equipped to dismantle trafficking networks, while schools, families, religious institutions, and civil society organisations should be mobilised to educate young people about the dangers of substance abuse.