A drug is any chemical substance that causes a change in an organism's

physiology or psychology when consumed. Drugs are typically distinguished from food
and substances that provide nutritional support.
Drugs are also substances that change a person's mental or physical state.
They can affect the way your brain works, how you feel and behave, your
understanding and your senses. This makes them unpredictable and dangerous,
especially for young people. The effects of drugs are different for each person
Drug use in Africa are Substance usage includes cigarettes, illegal substances,
prescription medications, inhalants, and solvents, as well as the intake of alcohol
or drugs. Despite massive attempts to reduce the use of licit elements and prevent
the use of illicit substances, these substance usage continues to result in
significant illness and mortality, as well as tremendous societal monetary costs.
1. . Substance use is primarily associated with male behavior and is
quickly becoming one of the most pressing public health issues in the world.
2. The usage of khat (Catha edulis), cigarettes, heroine, alcohol, and
other substances is a global problem that has a particularly negative impact on
young people.
3. Internationally, there are 2 billion alcohol users, 1.3 billion smokers,
and 185 million drug users. Tobacco and alcohol consumption account for around 5.4%
and 3.7% of the global burden of disease, respectively.
4. More than one substance use amongst substance users is common. The
pooled prevalence of simultaneous ( refers to “two or more elements used in the
same event with overlapping consumption/effects within a particular period; eg,
previous 30 days”) use of alcohol and cocaine customers is 74% and 77%,
respectively.
5. Sub-Saharan Africa has a long history of substance abuse, but it was
mostly limited to alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, and khat at the time.
6. Hard drug use, such as cocaine and heroin, has increased in recent
years.
7. In Africa, the most often abused substances are alcohol, hashish, and
khat.
8. The negative health implications that illicit drug use has on society
are one of the most significant effects. Individuals, families, and society all
suffer financially as a result of drug usage.
9. A number of factors are clearly driving the development of the complex
global illicit drug problem. Gender, age, and the rate of urbanization are all
factors that have an impact on socio-demographic trends.
10. Ten nations in Sub-Saharan Africa are among the top 22 in the world in
terms of per capita alcohol consumption growth. Marijuana, tobacco, and khat are
often used, while cocaine, amphetamine, and heroin use is on the rise. In Sub-
Saharan Africa, 41.6% of people used “any substance,” with Central Africa having
the highest percentage at 55.5%. 3 Substance use behavior is more prominent in
males than females. The lifetime and current substance use were 3.2 and 2.8 times
higher among males compared to [Link] could reflect underreporting as a
result of the shame associated with substance use among women or social
desirability bias. Only male substance users were included in the current study
because the sample size for current female substance users was insufficient, and
the problem is more prevalent among males. To the best of our knowledge, there is
no study in East Africa that determines the degree of substance use and associated
determinants using a regionally representative sample of males from each nation.
Therefore, the objective of this study was to measure the prevalence and associated
factors of substance use male population in East African countries using a
multilevel analysis of recent demographic and health surveys from 2015 to 2019

Study area: This research was conducted in 11 East African countries (Tanzania,
Burundi, Comoros, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Zambia, Mozambique, Uganda, and
Zimbabwe). The 11 nations were chosen based on the variables of interest being
available in the respective databases.
This analysis used the most recent standardized DHS data from 11 East African
countries, with one survey conducted between 2015 and 2019. To collect data that is
nearly comparable across nations around the world, the DHS programs can use
standardized tactics such as consistent surveys, manuals, and field methodology.
The DHSs are demonstrative home studies conducted around the country that give data
on a wide range of variables in the areas of population, health care, and diet. A
multistage sampling strategy was used to choose the sample for each survey in the
various nations. Because, it used to collect data from a large, geographically
spread group of people in national surveys. The selection of clusters in
enumeration areas was the initial step in this sampling strategy, which was
followed by systematic household sampling within the selected EAs. The sample size
for this study was 55 307 men who had complete cases on all variables of interest,
N = 55 307 .
Table 1.
Survey characteristics and sample sizes for men participants of Demographic and
Health Surveys in 11 East African countries.
Country Year of field work Male population Weighted sample Overall
response rate (%
Burundi October 2016-March 2017 7552 5323 89.5
Comoros 2012 2167 2167 99.3
Ethiopia 2016 12 688 6009 95.3
Kenya 2014 12 014 6086 90.2
Malawi 2011 7478 5110 94.1
Mozambique May 2015-December 2015 5283 5283 99.7
Rwanda 2014-2015 6217 6217 99.6
Tanzania 2015-2016 3514 3514 99.2
Uganda 2016 5336 5336 98.9
Zambia 2018 and first month of 2019 12 132 5258 89.3
Zimbabwe July-December 2015

Study population: A survey gathered from DHS data was used to perform this study on
substance use among males in 11 East African countries. This dataset’s primary
purpose was to provide current information on critical demographic and health
factors, there are dependent, independent variables, statistical analysis .

Dependent variable
We created a nominal outcome variable categorized as “Yes” or “No” for “current
substance usage” (cigarettes, alcohol, tobacco, khat, etc.). Except for the
response possibilities in some countries, the questions were fairly identical in
structure. The following is a general outline of the questions: (1) Do you
currently consume tobacco? Yes/No, (2) Do you smoke or use any other form of
tobacco at the moment? Yes/No, (3) What (other) tobacco products do you now consume
or smoke? (Pipe, chewing tobacco, snuff, and other tobacco products), (4) How many
cigarettes have you smoked in the last 24 hours? “How many days did you chew khat
in the last 30 days?” and “How many days in the last 30 days did you have an
alcoholic beverage?” Anyone who reported at least 1 day of khat or alcohol usage in
the past 30 days was deemed a current khat or alcohol user in both situations. As a
result, those who were presently using at least 1 of the 4 substances based on the
above measurement were classified as current substance users and included in the
study.
Independent variables
The covariates that considered in this study are Age (15-24, 25-34, 35-44, and
>44), Religion (Christian, Muslim, and Others), Marital status (Single, Married,
and Others), place of residence (Rural and Urban), current working status (Yes and
No), educational level (no education, primary, secondary, and Higher), Wealth index
(Poor, Middle, and Rich), Media exposure (No and Yes) and Head of house hold (Male
and Female).
Statistical analysis
After extracting the data with SPSS statistical software version 20, the data were
weighted using sample weight (v005), primary sampling unit (v023), and stratum
(v021) to derive applicable inferences. STATA14 and R statistical software version
4.0 were used to examine the data. The study was described using descriptive
statistics including percent’s bar charts and frequency tables. Because the data
had a hierarchical structure, the classical logistic regression model’s assumptions
of independence of observations and equal variance were violated. This means that
sophisticated models must account for cluster heterogeneity. The individual and
community-level characteristics related to male substance use were identified using
a 2-level mixed-effects logistic regression model. In our research, we used 4
different models in a row. The first is the null model (Model I), which is useful
for detecting the presence of a probable contextual influence when no explanatory
variables are used. The second model (Model II) was fitted using only individual-
level factors, the third model (Model III) used community-level variables, and the
final model (Model IV) used both individual and community-level variables. The
fixed effect’s result is expressed as an adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95%
confidence interval (CI). Statistical significance was determined for those
variables with P values less than .05. Intra-cluster Correlation Coefficient (ICC),
Median Odds Ratio (MOR), and Proportional Change in Variance were used to provide
the measures of variance (random-effects) (PCV). The ICC is a measure of within-
cluster variation, or variance between individuals inside a single cluster, that
was determined using the formula:ICC

Specific substances coverage in East African countries

The coverage of a specific substances are different among counties. Alcohols are
pre-dominantly used in Mozambique (76.70%), Uganda (48.00%), Ethiopia (35.20%), and
Zimbabwe (33.60%). Chats are used by the male population in Ethiopia (13.70%).
Burundi, Malawi, and Zambia have more Tobacco users (33.70%), (28.50%), and
(28.30%), respectively. The prevalence of cigarette users are highest in Comoros
(16.80%).

Socio-demographic characteristics of respondents

Among the 55 307 male population, 24 185.70%) were one or more substance users. The
majority 15 567 (64.40%) of the substance users were born in rural. In the case of
education level, persons who have primary 11 541 (47.7%) and secondary 7053 (29.2%)
education level are more substance users. Male population who get media accesses
19 939 (82.4%) are more exposed to substances. The frequency of male population
whose age between15 and 24 are the most substance users. While, whose age greater
than 44 years are less substance used in this study. Furthermore, the chi-square
test of association showed that education level, age, media exposure, wealth index,
sex of household head, and residence were significantly correlated with substance
use

Table 2.
Socio-demographic characteristics of substance user male population in East African
countries.
Substance Use X2 value (P-value)
No Yes Total
Frequency (%) Frequency (%) Frequency (%)
Educational level
No education 2727 (8.8) 3508 (14.5) 6235 (11.3) 599.87 (<.000)
Primary 14 792 (47.5) 11 541 (47.7) 26 333 (47.6)
Secondary 11 186 (35.9) 7053 (29.2) 18 239 (33.0)
Higher 2417 (7.8) 2083 (8.6) 4500 (8.1)
Country
Burundi 3527 (11.3) 1796 (7.4) 5323 (9.6) 9283.8 (<.000)
Comoros 1649 (5.3) 518 (2.1) 2167 (3.9)
Ethiopia 1880 (6.0) 4129 (17.1) 6009 (10.9)
Kenya 3639 (11.7) 2447 (10.1) 6086 (11.0)
Malawi 3644 (11.7) 1466 (6.1) 5110
Multilevel logistic regression model results
The results of the multilevel logistic regressions were summarized in Table 3. The
model with smaller deviance and the largest likelihood (model IV) was the best fit
data and the interpretation of the fixed effects were based on this model.
Education level, age, current working status, sex of household head, marital
status, wealth index, media exposure, residence, and country were significantly
associated with substance use of male population in the East Africa Countries. The
odds of substance user of male population who attained primary, secondary, and
higher education level were 0.69 (AOR = 0.69, 95% CI = 0.65, 0.74), 0.52 (AOR = 0.52,
95% CI = 0.48, 0.56) and 0.47 (AOR = 0.47, 95% CI = 0.42, 0.52) respectively times less
than substance user of male population who was not educated. The odds of substance
use male population whose age group were between 25 and 34 years 1.97 (AOR = 1.97,
95% CI = 1.85, 2.10), 35 to 44 years 2.49 (AOR = 2.49, 95% CI = 2.31, 2.68) and greater
than 44 years 3.31 (AOR = 3.31, 95% CI = 3.05, 3.59) times higher than the odds of
substance use male population whose age group were between 15 and 24 years. The
odds of substance use male population who were working was 1.55 (AOR = 1.55; 95% CI;
1.46, 1.64) times higher odds of substance user male population who did not have
work. If the household head is female, the odds of substance use male population is
1.10 (AOR = 1.10; 95% CI = 1.04, 1.17) times higher than the male household head.
Regarding to the wealth index, the odds of substance use in the class of middle and
rich were 0.86 (AOR = 0.86; 95% CI; 0.81, 0.91) and 0.77 (AOR = 0.77; 95% CI = 0.73,
0.81) respectively times lower than the odds of substance who are in class of poor.
Married male population were 0.82 (AOR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.77, 0.88) times less
likelihood of substance use than the single male population. While, other group
male population were 1.02 (AOR = 1.02; 95% CI = 0.94, 1.10) times higher likelihood
of substance use than the single male population. Male population lived in urban
areas were 0.72 (AOR = 0.72; 95% CI = 0.69, 0.76) times lower likelihood of substance
use compared to male populations living in rural areas. Male population who had
media access were 1.19 (AOR = 1.19; 95% CI = 1.13, 1.26) times higher likelihood of
substance using than who didn’t have media access. Male population living in
Ethiopia (AOR = 6.33; 95% CI = 5.84, 6.98), Kenya (AOR = 1.48; 95% CI = 1.36, 1.62),
Mozambique(AOR = 9.56; 95% CI = 8.68, 10.53), Zimbabwe(AOR = 3.57; 95% CI = 3.26, 3.92),
Tanzania(AOR = 1.82; 95% CI = 1.62, 2.04) and Uganda (AOR = 4.30; 95% CI = 3.92, 4.72)
were more likely to abuse substance use than male population living in Burundi.
Moreover, the male population living in Rwanda were 0.25 (AOR = 0.25, 95% CI = 0.23,
0.28) times lower odds of substance use compared to the male population in Burundi.

Table 3.
Multivariable multilevel logistic regression analysis of both individual and
community-level factors associated with substance user male population in East
Africa countries.
Variables Model I Model II Model III Model IV
AOR (95% CI)
Education level
No education 1 1
Primary 0.70 (0.65, 0.74)* 0.69 (0.65, 0.74)*
Secondary 0.64 (0.60, 0.68)* 0.52 (0.48, 0.56)*
Higher 0.73 (0.67, 0.80)* 0.47 (0.42, 0.52)*
Age
15-24 1 1
25-34 1.55 (1.47, 1.65)* 1.97 (1.85, 2.10)*
35-44 1.91 (1.78, 2.04)* 2.49 (2.31, 2.68)*
>44 2.34 (2.18, 2.52)* 3.31 (3.05, 3.59)*
Religion
Christian 1 1
Muslim 0.96 (0.92, 1.28) 0.67 (0.62, 1.71)
Others 1.96 (0.85, 2.08) 1.24 (0.16, 1.33)
Current working status
No 1 1
Yes 1.24 (1.18, 1.31)* 1.55 (1.46, 1.64)*
Sex of household head
Male 1 1
Female 1.16 (1.11, 1.22) 1.10 (1.04, 1.17)*
Wealth index
Poor 1 1
Middle 0.85 (0.81, 0.90)* 0.86 (0.81, 0.91)*
Rich 0.95 (0.90, 0.99) 0.77 (0.73, 0.81)*
Marital status
Single 1 1
Married 0.97 (0.91, 1.03)* 0.82 (0.77, 0.88)*
Others 1.45 (1.36, 1.55)* 1.02 (0.94, 1.10)
Media exposure
No 1 1
Yes 1.05 (1.00, 1.11)* 1.19 (1.13, 1.26)*
Residence
Rural 1 1
Urban 0.95 (0.91, 0.99)* 0.72 (0.69, 0.76)*
Country
Burundi 1 1
Comoros 0.61 (0.54, 0.69)* 1.01 (0.88, 1.16)
Ethiopia 4.61 (4.25, 5.00)* 6.38 (5.84, 6.98)*
Kenya 1.18 (1.09, 1.28)* 1.48 (1.36, 1.62)*
Malawi 0.72 (0.66, 0.79)* 0.91 (0.83, 1.00)
Mozambique 6.88 (6.30, 7.52)* 9.56 (8.68, 10.53)*
Tanzania 1.06 (0.97, 1.17)* 1.82 (1.62, 2.04)*
Zambia 0.78 (0.71, 0.84) 0.97 (0.89, 1.06)
Zimbabwe 2.40 (2.21, 2.61)* 3.57 (3.26, 3.92)*
Rwanda 0.25 (0.23, 0.27)* 0.25 (0.23, 0.28)*
Uganda 3.40 (3.13, 3.70)* 4.30 (3.92, 4.72)*
1 reference category for categorical variables and * reference P-value < .05.

Measures of variation (random effects)

The findings revealed that there was a considerable difference in male population
substance usage among clusters. The null model’s intraclass correlation
coefficients revealed that community-level factors accounted for 28.30% of the
variation in male substance use. When individual and community-level factors are
included, there is statistically significant variation in substance use among
communities or clusters. Almost 40% of the substance use in the communities was
accounted for in the overall model. In the null model, the MOR for male substance
use was 2.95, indicating that there was a variance between communities (clustering)
(2.95 times larger than the reference (MOR = 1)). When both individual and community
factors were included in the model, the unexplained community variation in
substance was reduced to a MOR of 2.31. This showed that in the full model the
effects of clustering are still statistically significant when we considered both
individual and community factors.

Table 4.
Measures of variation and model fit statistics on substance use in East Africa
countries.
Measures of variation Model I (Null model) Model II Model III Model IV
(Full model)
Variance (SE) 1.30 (0.040)* 0.79 (0.02)* 0.804 (0.042)* 0.78 (0.02)*
PCV (%) Reference 39.23 38.15 40
ICC (%) 28.30 19.36 20 28.32
MOR 2.95 2.32 2.34 2.31
Model fit statistics
DIC (−2log likelihood) 75 302.54 72 235.58 65 486.72 62 102.84
AIC 75 306.55 72 267.58 65 514.71 62 158.83
BIC 75 324.39 72 410.31 65 639.6 62 408.61

Measures of variation and model fit statistics on substance use in East Africa
countries.

The substance use coverage of the male population in East African countries was
43.70%. It was low compared to the study done in sub Saharan countries 55.5%. The
multilevel multivariable logistic regression model demonstrated that education
level, age, marital status, current job status, sex of household, head media
exposure, wealth index, residence, and nation were all substantially linked with
substance use in the East African male population. Different studies has been
reported that substance use is more common among uneducated/illiterate/male people
than among educated people. However, in our study, educated males were more likely
to use substances than uneducated males. The result is consistent with the
[Link] the other hand, because those educated people are largely young, they
may be vulnerable to substance use behavior due to curiosity, peer pressure, or
fun, as other studies have [Link] multivariable model revealed that substance
use increased with age. This is consistent with a study conducted in Sutherland and
Shepherd and Narendorf and McMillen. The possible reason may be that as age
increases, male population are more likely to have alterations in life
circumstances such as bereavement, social isolation, lack of social support and
financial difficulties, all of which have been found to increase the risk of
substance [Link] odds of substance use male population who were working was higher
than the odds of substance user male population who did not have work. A study done
by Merline et al and Hong et al is similar with our findings. The possible
justification is stress related to their work; it means much time spent in work
causes stress which leads to substance use. Similar to data from South and South-
East African countries, substance usage among males in East African countries was
highly associated with wealth index, that is, poor males were more likely to use
substance. Poor people are said to use tobacco to keep their hunger at bay,
because many smokers feel that smoking suppresses their appetite, many tobacco
corporations have taken advantage of this by adding appetite suppressant chemicals
to cigarettes.
Compared to those who were single, the married male populations were less likely to
use substances. These findings are consistent with other studies in Africa,
However, males who were (separated, divorced, or widowed) had a higher likelihood
of being substance users, which could be due to their ability to try a new type of
substance while tolerating the prior one, as a coping mechanism for their
loneliness, or as one of the causes for their divorce/separation. On the other
side, they were no longer “under the influence of their partner,” which could lead
to a new substance using behavior.
One factor that enhanced the likelihood of substance use was media exposure.
Advertising for a product may pique someone’s interest in trying it, Substance use
has been reported to be higher among urban residents.
However, in our study, the rural male populations were more likely to use
substances. Our finding was consistent with studies done in was in line with
studies done in different African countries.
Generally, the prevalence of substance use in East African countries were much
lower than in South and South-East Asian countries and other regions of the world.
Prevalence’s of each substance user are different among countries. Tobacco was
dominant substance in Burundi, Malawi and Zambia,cigarette smokers were highest in
Comoros, Rwanda and Kenya. Alcohol was another important substance in our study,
which has the highest number of users in Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and
Uganda. Similar studies also publicize comparable findings.

African drug trade refers to the sale and trafficking of illegal drugs that take
place in East African countries like Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Somalia, and
Ethiopia. The most prevalent types of drugs traded in East Africa are heroin,
marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, and khat, all of which are strictly prohibited
in East African countries.[1]
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reports that the number of reported
seizures of illegal drugs between 1995 and 2006 is inadequate to conclude that the
patterns of trafficking and possible drug abuse are alarming.[1] Nevertheless, the
low number of officially reported seizures is not a sign of minimal activity.
Instead, it is an indication of the lack of border control, insufficient
understanding of the drug trade, and a weak criminal justice system.[2] Though
research on the effects of drug trade in East Africa remains lower than that of
other regions, trafficking of drugs have are often correlated with corruption,
terrorism, HIVs and youth.
In fact, drug trafficking in East Africa has been sharply increasing in the past
few decades. As the region experiences limited supply for its rising demand of
drugs, East African countries have been involved in international drug trafficking
as well. Due to popular trafficking routes to Europe and the United States like the
Balkan Route experiencing increased surveillance, drugs from Asia have been
traveling through East African countries into Africa or ultimately to Europe and
the United States. The Journal of International Affairs stated in 2012 that the
UNODC reported a four-fold increase in cocaine seizures in East Africa between 2005
and 2010. Similarly, the number of seizures of heroin at major ports in East Africa
increased nearly ten times between 2009 and 2013.[3] Such data shows that East
African trade is constantly growing, and that countries have been increasingly
responding to illicit drug trafficking.
The research of drug use in Nigeria was done to prof drug production, access and
prevention. 14.4°/° of Nigerians are problem drug users with the age rate of 15-64
years old. Global prevalence of drug use is because Nigerian men are said to use
higher than women when it comes to cough syrup and tranquilizers more than any
other drug because they are more likely to conceal there drug use than men. There
is a big difference of drug use from the north to the south, injection users are on
the High side especially in Jos.
Drug supply in Africa with Nigeria as the transit route
The 2017 report by the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB)S notes that
West Africa remains a key transit point for drug trafficking. Other than cannabis
and cocaine, seizure data indicate trafficking in precursors like ephedrine in
Nigeria and in the synthetic opioid tramadol, which is not under international
control but is increasingly being misused in Nigeria and in the broader West
African region. The illicit manufacturing of ampheta-mines* and cultivation and
productionS of cannabis are also areas of concern in Nigeria.
The 2016 Annual Report of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)
indicates that while drug trafficking remains an issue in Nigeria, data from 2016
shows a decline in both the arrests related to and seizures of drugs. The total
drug seizures during the period stood at 267,591.49 kg. These included cannabis
(187,394 kg) followed by psychotropic substances (77,755 kg), methamphetamine
(1,352 kg), and ephedrine (718 kg). Other drug seizures included 305 kg of cocaine
and 66 kg of heroin. Data from seizures at Lagos International Air-port, shows the
inflow of drugs into Nigeria is approximately 49 per cent of the total drugs
seized, whereas remaining proportion is the outward movement of drugs or couriers.
The most favoured outward destination for drug couriers leaving Nigeria in 2016 was
China, followed by South Africa. While several countries in Africa were reported as
destination countries by the couriers, the Report acknowledges that these might not
necessarily be the final destinations for the drugs they were carrying which could
also be meant for markets in Europe and Asia.
Cocaine
While West Africa and Nigeria in particular, have been a hub for cocaine
trafficking, according to the 2017 World Drug Report, in recent years there has
been a decline in the quantities of cocaine intercepted in Africa which has gone in
parallel with a decrease in the number of reports in Europe of African countries
being used as transit areas.
However, the same reports warn that this trend may be due to poor capacity of
detection and reporting rather than a decrease in the actual flow of cocaine, as
there have been some significant seizures of cocaine shipments destined for Africa.
In the period 2010-2015 African countries most frequently reported Nigeria as the
transit country within the region. Data on cocaine seizures in Nigeria confirms
that Nigeria continues to be a hub for cocaine trafficking, with the highest
quantities in 2016 being seized in Lagos (seaport and airport) followed by Abuja

TABLE 21 ; Cocaine seizures in Nigeria

Year Cocaine seized (kg)
290 2013
291 2014
292 2015
293 2016

Cannabis
As in previous years, cannabis topped the list of drugs seized by the NDLEA in 2016
and it continues to present a challenge in terms of trafficking and illicit
cultivationS.
The cultivation of cannabis is well established in various parts of Nigeria and due
to a range of climatic and geographical factors which create an ideal growing
environ-ment, is especially concentrated in the South West. In 2016, 718 hectares
of cannabis plantations nationwide were discovered and destroyed. Cannabis
plantations are usually located in remote areas with difficult terrain that limits
access, which poses challenges for drug interdiction, eradication and crop
substitution.
TABLE 2: Cannabis seizures and hectares of
cannabis destroyed (NDLEA Annual : reports)
Year Cannabis (kg) seized
2013 205,373
2014 158,852
2015 871,480
: 2016 187,394

Hectares of cannabis’s eradicated

847
4,529
377
718
Source: NDLEA Annual Reports.

The Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, had urged the Nigerian
Government to jettison traditional orientation and “archaic” sentiment that state
that cannabis is a ‘devil’s plant’.

Akeredolu, who spoke at a Stakeholders’ Roundtable on the “Benefits and

Opportunities of Cannabis Plant in Nigeria” held at the International Culture and
Event Center, urged the Nigerian government to give legal backing to cannabis to
enable its use in Nigeria, saying “cannabis is a multi-billion naira industry that
can help diversify the Nigerian Economy if judiciously utilised”.
He said, “the medical and economic merits of the use of cannabis outweigh its
demerits.”
Akeredolu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and former president of the Nigerian Bar
Association (NBA), stated that advanced research has shown that Cannabis has
immense economic benefits if well utilized.
On public perception trailing his advocacy for controlled cultivation of the
cannabis plant, the governor stated that opinions against the legalization of the
plant are as a result of the ignorance of people about the numerous benefits of the
plant.

“The planet earth has a constant period of darkness and light every 24 hours which
we call night and day, in like manner, just like every other crop or plant,
Cannabis Sativa has both CBD and THC content which we can put it to good and bad
use,” Akeredolu said.
“Products with extract of Cannabis Sativa are already in our pharmaceutical sales
outlets across the country. They are being imported with foreign exchange, and sold
at exorbitant prices with additional, but avoidable stress on our Naira.”
Akeredolu stated that during his first term, he and other members of his cabinets
made a trip to Thailand to understudy the legal reform carried out to facilitate
the decriminalization of the cultivation, processing and export of Cannabis Sativa
which gave him the opportunity to know the immense benefits that comes along from
controlled cultivation of the plant.
“My visit to Thailand was an eye-opener. We saw forest reserve used in the past to
cultivate and process hard drugs transformed to be meaningfully utilized in an
environmentally friendly way for healthy ventures. We saw people previously sold to
hard drugs engaged in legitimate business ventures,” Akeredolu said.
“What we are therefore advocating for in Nigeria is simply controlled cultivation
of pharmaceutical standard cannabis strictly for medical purpose. I am saying
necessary laws must be amended to give room for it. I am not saying it should be a
free-for-all venture. Those investing in it must be licensed under strict control.

“We must find a way to legalize the cultivation of cannabis for medicinal purposes.
There is nothing wrong about it. We are only shooting ourselves in the foot. It is
a foreign exchange earner for people outside the country. People want this. We
ourselves, even our pharmacies want to develop.”
Akeredolu further revealed that Ondo State has one of the best Cannabis in the
world which is capable of creating a million dollars’ industry for the country.
He explained that in 2019, the global market of Cannabis was put at 52.8 billion
dollars and that the market forecast is an average 14.5% increase from the year
2020 to reach 103.9 billion dollars by 2024.
Akeredolu urged members of the National Assembly, the NDLEA, the Pharmaceutical
Society of Nigeria and Research Institutions to have a second and deeper thought on
the issue, saying it holds great potential in solving the current economic woes in
the country.
The Chief Panelist at the Roundtable, Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, member
representing Bende Federal Constituency who doubles as the Spokesperson of the
House of Representative, agreed with Akeredolu, stating that said it has become
imperative for Nigeria to review the legislation prohibiting the farming and
production of Cannabis for medicinal and industrial use in Nigeria.
While applauding Akeredolu for leading the Advocacy for the legalisation of
cannabis, Kalu posited that hemp is a viable prospect for Nigeria’s diversification
efforts.
The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora, Tolu Akande-Sadipe,
who was also a panelist at the roundtable, expressed optimism that the passage of
the Dangerous Drugs Act [Amendment] Bill 2020, currently at second reading, would
usher in a new era on medicinal cannabis production and distribution in Nigeria.
This was one of the ways that made Nigeria a transit route for drugs in Africa

Opioids
In 2016, NDLEA reported the seizure of 50,536 kg of tramadol, with the amount
seized by NDLEA rising to 72,602 kg in 2017. This synthetic opioid analgesic is
increasingly being used for non-medical purposes in the West African region,
including in Nigeria. According to the latest UNODC World Drug Reports, yearly
seizures
the latest UNODC World Drug Report, yearly seizures of tramadol in the region have
risen since 2013 from 300 kg to over 3 tonnes. Heroin also continues to be
trafficked in Nigeria as is shown in the table below.
TABLE 3 : Heroin seizures in Nigeria
Year Heroin seized (kg)
2013 24.53
2014 56.45
2015 30.09
2016 65.22
Source: NDLEA Annual report for the years.

Conclusion
In east African countries, the prevalence of substance use among men was high.
According to the survey, there is a considerable disparity in substance use amongst
East African countries. Male substance usage was substantially linked to education
level, age, marital status, current employment status, sex of household, media
exposure, wealth index, residence, and nation. As a result, substance control
programs should focus on the poor, not (least) educated, rural people, and adult
age groups, who are the region’s most vulnerable social groups. DHSs can give
accurate estimates for each substance user’s surveillance at the country level and
by social group. In addition to cessation, substance control programs in Africa
should focus on health promotion to prevent the initiation of substance use.
In general, it is preferable to research the underlying structural, policy, and
behavioral variables using a holistic approach, and it may also be useful to
investigate the genetic predisposition of people who are at increased risk of
substance use behavior. Furthermore, the law prohibiting the promotion of drugs in
the media should be implemented.

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