Despite regulatory crackdowns and financial challenges in the political landscape, young people continue to engage with illicit substances and the drug trade by opting for cheaper and new substances that provide similar effects to traditional drugs, Guardian Nigeria reports.
These improvised substances such as fermented or dried faeces, heated nutmeg, methane gas, glues, solvents, gasoline, and other unconventional items however, pose significant risks to physical and mental health, as well as the future well-being of Nigeria.
Inhaling gases from these substances can lead to hypoxia, a condition where oxygen flow to the body is reduced.
While mild hypoxia can cause gradual damage, severe hypoxia can result in rapid brain damage, sometimes within minutes, leading to brain cell death and severe impairment.
Human excreta, studies have shown, causes diseases like cholera, typhoid, hepatitis, polio, and cryptosporidiosis.
The World Drug Report 2022 from UNODC showed significant increases in cocaine production and the spread of synthetic drugs to fresh markets.
The report also notes that approximately 284 million individuals aged 15–64 globally used drugs in 2020, marking a 26% surge compared to the previous decade.
The increase has been exacerbated by the country’s economic downturn which is undoubtedly affecting many lives.
Addicts sometimes use inventive methods to get high, such as inhaling fumes from glues, solvents, gasoline, aerosols, nitrites, and fire extinguisher propellants.
They also use homemade substances like carbonated drinks, homemade alcohol, gutter water, and bleach to achieve a similar effect.
These new psychoactive substances pose a significant threat to public health.
Proactive measures must be taken to curb the menace, and those affected should be rehabilitated without any form of stigma to help them heal.