Dr. Adebiyi Calls for Health-Focused Drug Policies in Nigeria

Dr. Adeolu Adebiyi addresses the rising drug use in Nigeria, noting that a recent survey among young people in Abuja indicated a unanimous belief that drug use is increasing in their neighborhoods. He references the 2014 report by the West Africa Commission on Drugs, led by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, which called for a shift from the punitive "war on drugs" to a more pragmatic approach that considers the realities of drug use.

Adebiyi points out that Nigeria's drug laws do not differentiate between traffickers and users, with the NDLEA Act (2004) imposing severe penalties on drug users. Despite some evolution in national policies, the reliance on the criminal justice system to address drug use continues to result in human rights violations, including arrests and limited access to treatment.

He emphasizes the urgent need to focus on health and development in drug control strategies, especially in light of the significant number of drug users and the rising HIV prevalence among people who inject drugs.