Alcohol, Drugs and Substance Abuse

“Your VOICE doesn’t need to be LOUD to COUNT. DRUG ABUSE is an EPIDEMIC ravaging our land and destroying what is left of our FUTURE. Where do we run to when the YOUNG PEOPLE who are supposed to curate SOLUTIONS to the challenges of our society are now being WIPED OUT by addiction to Codeine, Tramadol, Rephnol, Cannabis etc. If you watch “#SweetSweetCodeine”, BBC Africa Eye documentary on Drug Abuse in Nigeria, you’ll not just be moved to TEARS but be convinced that we all need to Speak Up to this. A society that consumes 3 MILLION BOTTLES of CODEINE per week is definitely digging its own GRAVE, one bottle at a time. No VOICE is too TINY to speak for a DRUG-FREE Society. If you SEE something, SAY something!”- – – Emdee Tiamiyu

Tramadol is a basic pain reliever, but people can become addicted if they abuse it by taking regularly or without prescription.  Read from a victim as he shares his personal experience.

“I served in a barrack 2011, Kwara state to be precise, and happened to be attached to the military hospital there, laboratory section. The soldier pharmacist introduced me to Tramadol, the first time I took it, I felt my head was lighter and I was working and walking like a machine, then later I started hallucinating…. It was the hallucinating effect that got me addicted and before I knew it, I couldn’t sleep, meditate or even do any task without using the said drug, then I suddenly lost appetite and was looking far away from peoples sight. Alcohol was not allowed at a time then in the barracks, then codeine, tutoline, Tramadol and rafnol became options”.

— Samson Ajobiewe

For more information on this drug menace, please read the following excerpts from an article by Samson, originally published HERE.

Drugs can either be legal or illegal. Legal when it is medically recommended and those obtained over the counter either from chemist shops or pharmacy outlet. Illegal when its use is under control by law because of their effects, this makes their supply and use to be limited to certain degree.

When these drugs are improperly administered it becomes detrimental when combined with tasks like driving or machine operations because they can cause euphoria, poor coordination, anxiety, depression, etc.

When alcohol, drugs or other substances are being used beyond the recommended dosage or limits, it is termed Abuse. From drug abuse, one gets used to it till the point of addiction, then one is now Addicted. From addiction, one becomes Dependent, which means all psychological function can’t work without the use of the above drugs.

Among drugs which can be abused, they have two main classes:

Depressants: Codeine and morphine begin to affect the central nervous system almost immediately after use, because it suppresses the system and hence results in cloudy mental function, slow breathing, etc., these are psychological and physical additive drugs. Others include Tramadol, Rafnol etc.

Stimulants: Cocaine makes people feel lively, awake, energetic and confident, some stimulants gives a sense of well-being generally, when the drug fades off, the user becomes irritable and restless and even when they are desperate for sleep, the drug may still be active hence physiological action and reaction compromised.

In a quest to control the societal flow of alcohol and drugs, the government through laws and regulations have been able to reduce the use and abuse of these drugs thereby starving abusers access to drugs and alcohol. Then the option of substances came to limelight, substances that can’t be checked either by breathalyzer or other drug checks, and which are readily available in form of paints, ink, glue, gas from septic tank vents, degreasing agents, aerosols, etc.

NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF DRUGS AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE

Different substance affects individual in different ways, but particularly, the central nervous system, depending on exposure limits. Long time use can cause damage to the brain, kidney and liver. These substances can either cause headache, nausea or unconsciousness and sometimes death.

Most causes of accidents on the highway are not unrelated to the lapses on the part of the drivers as most of them are addicted to taking these enhancers before driving. It has gotten to a stage where they are so addicted that they can’t drive without drinking or taking other substances. Workers are getting hurt and killed daily during heavy operations because these substances are not compatible with tasks and operations, the bones are suffering, the kidney is crying, the liver is fighting hard, the brain functions are depleting.

The cough syrups that used to be sold for less than 500 gradually jumped to 1000 plus, and tramadol now becomes first aid items found inside wallets. Water bottles don’t contain water anymore, they now carry mixtures because we all want to be stimulated at all times. Or we all want to hallucinate, we all want to go slow and into isolation with deep thoughts and thick meditation. But we are careless of the recipient organs in our body systems fighting so hard to accommodate the residual effects of these substances.

In conclusion, drugs, alcohol and all these substances are not friends to our immune system; they are not friends to our central nervous system and will never be compatible with our sense of judgment and coordination. Say no to drugs, substances and alcohol for they can never be friendly no matter how helpful they may be at the points of our needs of them.

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Edited and posted by: Olaitan Omotola J