Drug abuse: NAFDAC begins training of 20,000 young pharmacists – The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Tuesday said it had commenced training of 20,000 young pharmacists across the country as parts of its effort to stem menace of drug abuse.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof Moji Adeyeye, gave the advice while addressing newsmen to commemorate the 2018 World International Day Against Drug Abuse in Abuja.
The United Nations has set aside June 26 to be marked annually as International Day against Drug Abuse, to create awareness against Illicit Trafficking or illegal drug trade across the globe.
Adeyeye explained that the training was to conduct a compressive study or research across the country concerning drug abuse.
“We are working with not less than 20,000 young pharmacists to do a pilot phase of study in the six geopolitical zones.
“Those young pharmacists are carefully selected and they are not more than 35 years of age.
“They are expected to visit secondary schools across the country, distribute questionnaires and conduct a systematic study on the scope of drug abuse.
“Honestly, today is a sad day for me because of what drug abuse has done to our youth in the country,” she said.
Adeyeye stated that the most commonly abused drugs in the country were tramadol and codeine.
The NAFDAC boss described tramadol as a synthetic opioid analgesic used to treat moderate to severe pain and was the most abused medicine among addicts.
She added that taking it had no effects on the respiratory system but overdose caused arrhythmias, cramps, coma and death.
She said that NAFDAC was ready, determined and more committed than ever to fight drug abuse and ensure that those dealing with illicit and substandard drugs were punished.
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