Towards Noncustodial Harm Reduction in Substance Abuse Amongst Youths: The Need to Incorporate Social Marketing Interventions into the Nigerian Legal Framework

Nnam, Macpherson Uchenna; Onya, Victoria O; Franca, Chinazor; Ogbonnaya, Chisom Esther; Arua, Mercy Chioma

doi:10.1016/j.sciaf.2021.e00799

Cited by 6 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…The same applies to other criminal elements and groups. For instance, such criminal elements as Boko Haram terrorists and kidnappers in Nigeria have been linked to heavy use of tramadol and other psychoactive substances (Otu et al , 2018a, 2018b, Nnam et al , 2020, 2021a). Factory workers, long distance bus and truck drivers and taxi drivers are all linked to the use of tramadol and other analgesics to stay awake, strong and active (Adedoye, 2011).…”

Section: Trends In Opioid Usementioning

confidence: 99%

Beyond evidence and reality: the politics, political economy and fallout of hawkish regulatory policy on prescription drugs in Nigeria

Otu,

Nnam,

Eteng

et al. 2023

DHS

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Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the politics, political economy, and fallout of hawkish regulatory policy on prescription drugs in Nigeria. Hawkish regulatory policy on prescription drug in Nigeria, such as opioid analgesics, is a very complex and multifaceted one, which usually involves the interplay of many factors and parties. Design/methodology/approach Policy manuals, official government gazettes (legislations, regulations, Acts and decrees), academic literature and a direct ethnographic observation of events surrounding the regulation of prescription drugs were reviewed and engaged. Findings The results revealed that Nigerian and global political economy and politics interface to define the direction of the new restrictive opioid policy, with resultant friction between prohibition and consumption. The reviews showed that the overarching “get-tough” and “repressive” policy are not necessarily founded on empirical evidence of an increase in prescription drug sales or use, but more as a product of the interplay of both internal and external politics and the prevailing socioeconomic order. Practical implications Instead of borrowing extensively from or being influenced by repressive Western drug laws and perspectives, Nigerian policymakers on prescription opioids should take control of the process by drawing up a home-grown policy that is less intrusive and punitive in nature for better outcomes. A mental sea change is required to understand the intrigues of Western power in Nigeria’s politics and political economy to avoid the continuous symptomatic failure of drug policy. Originality/value The politics and economic influence of the United Nations, USA and Western powers, as well as the axiom of moral panic of prescription drugs scares within the Nigerian environment, are particularly significant in the making of the emerging hawkish policy on prescription drugs in Nigeria.

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Section: Trends In Opioid Usementioning

confidence: 99%

Beyond evidence and reality: the politics, political economy and fallout of hawkish regulatory policy on prescription drugs in Nigeria

Otu,

Nnam,

Eteng

et al. 2023

DHS

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…The death of about 1.8 million individuals is also reported every year (Cunha-Oliveira et al, 2008;Roth et al 2018;Fasakin et al 2022a). Regrettably, the highest proportion of global population addicted to psychoactive substance usage are the youths, the future of every society (Nnam et al, 2021). To further exacerbate the problem, addiction victims rarely seek or continue with treatment (Lamontagne and Olmstead, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Addictive and Neurotoxicological Evaluation of Cannabis sativa, male Carica papaya, Nicotiana tabacum and Datura stramonium Alkaloid Extracts via Neuroinflammatory, Neurotransmitter and Oxidative Systems

Fasakin,

Oboh,

Ademosun

2023

Preprint

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Drug addiction is a relapsing and chronic brain ailment that is accompanied by habitual, incontrollable and pathological pattern of substance seeking and usage despite the associated severe negative social and health consequences. This study evaluated the addictive and neurotoxicological evaluation of Cannabis sativa, male Carica papaya, Nicotiana tabacum and Datura stramonium alkaloid extracts via neuroinflammatory, neurotransmitter and oxidative systems. For 90 days, the alkaloid extracts were orally administered to experimental rats and neurobehavioral paradigms were evaluated on day 91. Rats were sacrificed and striatum homogenate prepared. Expression of addition and neurotoxicity-related genes, alongside biochemical neurotransmitter and cytokine metabolisms were evaluated. Result established the addictive and neurotoxicological potentials of the alkaloid extracts via behavioural paradigms, coupled with inflammatory, monoaminergic, apoptotic, cholinergic, oxidative and glutamatergic neurotransmission systems modulations. However, observed neurotoxicity of the psychoactive plants’ alkaloids was not directly proportional to their addictiveness as the psychoactive plants ranked AECS > AENT > AEDS > AECM in addictiveness but ranked AEDS > AENT > AECS > AECM for toxicological potentials, as measured using related behavioural, neurotransmitter, apoptotic and inflammatory systems. Conclusively, the toxicological effects of the psychoactive plants’ alkaloids are mostly expressed at high doses.

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“…The apparent failure of exis ng laws on illicit drug and substance abuse brings to the fore the need for policy redirec on. Accordingly, Nnam et al (2021) advocated for noncustodial control and preven ve measures against illicit drug and substance abuse through the use of social marke ng principles which focus o n t h e wo r k i n g o f s o c i eta l a n d psychological factors implicated in the harmful behaviour, and manipula ng these factors to deliver effec ve mass media knowledge drive. No doubt, delicate probing studies on the subject ma er will provide more informa on for an effec ve campaign toward a redemp ve direc on.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the substance abuse problem in a police academy in Nigeria: Implications for its cadets and authority

Abraham,

Shittu,

Bibire

et al. 2023

ajdas

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There is an illicit drug/substance abuse problem in Nigeria, especially among youths. This morphed when cadets of the Nigeria Police Academy were arrested by the drug law enforcement agency for having illicit drugs. This spurred our study's objectives. Using an interpretative phenomenological approach, police cadets identified, through snowball sampling technique, to be involved in illicit drug/substance abuse were interviewed on causes of drug/substance abuse among cadets; accessibility to illicit drugs; perceptions on the effectiveness of punitive measures; effects on academic performance, police training, and interpersonal relationship. Findings are discussed in line with extant literature and inferences indicate the important need for a robust drug/substance use screening exercise for entrants into the Academy. Advocacy is made for the engagement of preventive measures which focus more on dissuading this behaviour through counselling and educational enlightenment initiatives.

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Towards Noncustodial Harm Reduction in Substance Abuse Amongst Youths: The Need to Incorporate Social Marketing Interventions into the Nigerian Legal Framework

Cited by 6 publications

References 29 publications

Beyond evidence and reality: the politics, political economy and fallout of hawkish regulatory policy on prescription drugs in Nigeria

Beyond evidence and reality: the politics, political economy and fallout of hawkish regulatory policy on prescription drugs in Nigeria

The Addictive and Neurotoxicological Evaluation of Cannabis sativa, male Carica papaya, Nicotiana tabacum and Datura stramonium Alkaloid Extracts via Neuroinflammatory, Neurotransmitter and Oxidative Systems

Exploring the substance abuse problem in a police academy in Nigeria: Implications for its cadets and authority

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