SPEECH DELIVERED BY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PEOPLE AGAINST DRUG DEPENDENCE & IGNORANCE (PADDI), BARRISTER EZE ELUCHIE, ON THE OCCASION OF A PRESS CONFERENCE IN COMMEMMORATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST DRUG ABUSE AND ILLICIT TRAFFICKING,

JUNE 26TH, 2001.

Ladies and Gentlemen of the noble pen profession, it is with great pleasure that People Against Drug Dependence & Ignorance (PADDI), welcomes you all to this Media Briefing to commemorate the International day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

Worldwide, annually, the 26th day of June 2001, is set aside as a date for responsible member-countries of the international community, governmental and non-governmental institutions, civil society organizations and entire humanity focuses on the scourge of drug abuse. The ‘26th of June’ thus provides an opportunity not only to appraise past activities and strategies and assess present legislation’s and practices of drug supply control and demand reduction, but also a veritable platform to expound and embark upon novel and hopefully more effective approaches to curb the global scourge of drug abuse.

PADDI ACTIVITIES:
PADDI was established in August 1995 (though formally incorporated in September 1997) in direct response to the then growing international ostracization Nigeria and Nigerians were facing as a result of an upsurge in the number of Nigerians involved in drug abuse and international drug trafficking.

PADDI identified ignorance of the nature, types and consequences of drug abuse, in all its ramifications, as the major factor responsible for drug abuse in Nigeria. PADDI thus embarked upon a nationwide Public Awareness Lecture Series (PALS) on Ignorance and Substance abuse, targeted at the Nigerian youth.

PADDI selected a total of One hundred and eleven (111) Secondary schools evenly spread across the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory, as centers for our PALS. Unfortunately, as a result of the lack of interest of funding agencies and corporate bodies to assist PADDI with the PALS, PADDI has been able, mainly from financial contributions of its members, to organize the PALS in 20 Secondary schools spread across 6 States and Abuja (see attached list of past activities).

The scramble at the various PALS centers by the students and their teachers to view samples of ‘hard drugs’ (as contained in the “Drug Kit” brought for educational purposes by personnel of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency {NDLEA}), coupled with other experiences garnered in the course of our PALS, gave credence to our suspicion of the high level of ignorance of ‘hard drugs’ amongst the Nigerian populace.

An intriguing question confronted PADDI at this stage: ‘how come a nation whose nationals were so ignorant of ‘hard drugs’, enjoy an unenviable and detestable pariah status in the international community, with regards to substance abuse?’

It was in deference to the above raised query that PADDI participated in an “International Conference on Tackling the Problems of Drug Abuse” in Amsterdam, The Netherlands (26th – 30th November 1999), and organized, with support from the Committees on Drugs, narcotics and Financial Crimes of the Senate and Federal House of Representatives a second conference on ‘Tackling the Problems of Drug Abuse’ with the theme “Legislating for a Drug Free Nigeria – Towards realigning our Substance Abuse Legislation’s with democratic Tenets” in Abuja, 9th – 10th October 2000 (see attached Conference Communiqué)

The resounding conclusions of the above two conferences was that there is the dire need to make our Substance abuse legislation’s, reduction strategies and approaches in tune with the Nigerian environment – our efforts at substance abuse reduction should be nigerianized, couched with the greater interest of our nation at heart.

It is in keeping with the above resolutions that PADDI is today, initiating a Signature Collection Campaign geared towards galvanizing Nigerians to urge our Legislators to enact laws to:
(i) curb the growth of the cigarette industry, and
(ii) implement crop-substitution facilities for indigent marijuana farmers in Nigeria.

1. Cigarette is recognized worldwide, specifically in information manuals/leaflets of the NDLEA, NAFDAC and the United Nations International Drug Control Program (UNDCP), as a ‘gate-way drug’. Each stick of Cigarette contains substantial quantity of nicotine, a highly addictive substance. Consumption of cigarettes at an early age in life could easily lead to experimenting with ‘harder’ substances in later life. It is thus imperative, that for a realistic and purposeful drug demand reduction regime, the very root, access to the ‘gate-way drug’ should be effectively checked. The adverse health implications of cigarette smoking are all too self-evident.

The proposed legislation to curb the cigarette industry in Nigeria will seek to:
(a) increase Tax payable on cigarettes
(b) prohibit cigarette advertisements in public places
(c) prohibit sale of cigarettes in units (minimum of packet of 20 sticks)
(d) compel cigarette companies to contribute a sizable proportion of their profits to research and treatment of cigarette related harm.

2. By crop-substitution facilities for indigent marijuana farmers, we propose that the Government will introduce and offer alternative crops to indigent marijuana farmers, subsidize the cost of change of crops and thereafter, be morally justified to visit, with all severity, the full sanctions of law on any Farmer who subsequently resorts back to illicit cultivation of marijuana. If this practice is adopted, it will be in consonance with the ongoing practice in Columbia and other Latin American countries, where the international community has for several years, adopted crop-substitution strategies for indigent coca farmers.

PADDI is happy to note that since our initial floatation of the idea of crop substitution for indigent marijuana farmers (at the launch of the Year 2000 Report of the International Narcotics Control Board {INCB}), key stakeholders in Substance abuse reduction in Nigeria, including the NDLEA (as evidenced in The Chairman’s address during the recent visit to Nigeria of the Director General of the United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention {ODCCP}) have in principle, concurred with the idea.

In advocating for crop substitution, we are convinced that the purpose of law is not to criminalize age-old practices, but rather to ensure that criminal elements within society are carefully identified and effective punishment meted out.

The role of the media in actualizing the PADDI ideal of a Drug-free Nigeria cannot be overemphasized. PADDI highly appreciates the cooperation we have thus far received from the Nigerian media and further appeal for your continued cooperation in our Advocacy Initiatives aimed at attaining a future for Nigeria free from Drug abuse.

Thank you and God bless.

EZE ELUCHIE (Attorney-at-Law)
Executive Director
PADDI.

28th June 2001

Press Releases 2000