How To Spot Drug Abuse In Children, According To NDLEA

Debowale Adegbite, an official of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, has urged parents to watch out for withdrawal symptoms, to know when their children are abusing drugs.

In particular, parents should be mindful of changes in the temperament of their children as it is a key indicator of drug abuse.

Adegbite gave the advice at the Amuwo/Odofin Constituency 2, Lagos State House of Assembly 7th Annual Constituency stakeholder meeting in Lagos.

The meeting, with the theme, “Increasing wave of drug abuse: A threat to nation building,” was an interface between electorate and their representatives.

Adegbite added that drug abuse is an equal opportunity affliction that knows no age bracket.

”Youths and school pupils should desist from taking illicit drugs. The consequences are very grave, but can be avoided if parents pay close attention to their children,” he said.

The Coordinator, National Youth Council of Nigeria in the area, Bola Babalola, noted that youths are most vulnerable to drug abuse, due largely to idleness, which lures them with all its debasing consequences.

“Our area lacks social amenities such as youth development centre, skill acquisition centre, community library, where youths can exert their latent energy and be gainfully engaged with things that can add value to their lives.

“If such facilities can be established in the area, many of our idle young ones will be occupied without the temptation of going into drugs to overcome idleness and depression,” Babalola said.

He described the unwholesome activities of land grabbers in the area as repugnant to the society, as it often resulted in the conversion of designated recreational spaces in the area to commercial outfits.

He called on the lawmakers to recover such public spaces, with a view to establishing the amenities they were earmarked for.

Babalola added that multinational firms operating in the area should also be compelled to carry out stipulated social responsibility activities agreed to with the community before being granted permits.