Concerted drug addiction fight will reduce crime – Lawyer

Tue, Dec 11, 2018 | By publisher


Health

Theresa Okon, a legal practitioner on Tuesday in Abuja said that concerted fight against use of illicit drugs in the country would go a long way to curb crime rate.

Okon, who is also a child education activist, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kubwa, Abuja.

According to the lawyer, use of illicit drugs and criminal activities go hand-in-hand and both poses a threat to the society.

She said that continuous campaign against drug use in schools, sports centres, and rural communities with a fully equipped anti-drug agency would help fight the scourge.

She said that most people who commit violent crimes are under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

“The use of illicit drugs is automatically associated with criminal behaviour; if we can fight the former, we should be able to reduce in large percentage the latter.

“This is because with increased drug abuse, criminal behaviour rate and its intensity are on the increase as most addicts are forced to commit crime to acquire more drugs.

“Another problem is most of these addicts are not employed or engaged in any form of hand work, as a result, they don’t have an income to fulfill their needs.

“That’s why they turn to and engage in illegal activities such as smuggling, armed robbery, political thugs and the likes.

“We must not relent in the campaign against these acts, it must continue at all levels.

“Most importantly, government must fully equip the National Drug and Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) so that they can reach their anticipated goal in winning this plague.”

Okon also underscored peer pressure, low self-esteem and idleness among youths and school children as major causes of the use of illicit drugs which may lead to crime.

She however, advised parents to educate their children on the dangers of engaging in unruly behaviour while encouraging them on better ways to handle peer pressure and self-esteem.

“They must know and also believe that they do not need drugs to understand what they read in school or to boost their confidence in public.

“Let them engage in good drama clubs or societies that increase both intellectual and social interaction among youths.

“If you cannot pay for these, there are free activities of such in churches and mosques.

“This form of orientation, I must say, begins from the home; parents must begin to take responsibility of their children’s mental status.

“Watch out for the kind of company they keep. If it is not the ones with good influence, they must be cut off.” (NAN)

– Dec. 11, 2018 @ 13:25 GMT |

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