2023 International Narcotics Control Board Annual Report….with special focus on online drug trafficking

The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control, NAFDAC, on Tuesday lunched joined it’s counterparts all over to lunch the year 2023 International Narcotics Control Board Annual Report.

The report focused on the role of the Internet, including social media in drug trafficking and use. It explored the challenges and opportunities for drug control, prevention and treatment in the era of the Internet, with specific look at the evolving land scape of online drug trafficking.

The International Narcotics Control Board report world drug situation is presented on yearly basis to inform governments of it’s part to the International Conventions on drug control efforts and take decisions when necessary.

It is common knowledge that narcotics and psychotropic substances are indispensable in the management of pains and other medical conditions. So due to the addictive potential of many of them, there is the need to balance the access and control of the substances.

This implies that Competent National Authority must scale up their activities, monitor online advertisment and sales of controlled substances, according to the report.

In a message to the occasion, the Director General, NAFDAC, Professor Christianah Adeyeye, assured  Nigerians that, “ the agency has put in place measures to prevent diversion and stay ahead of traffickers including, the E-permit issuance, Pre – Export Notification, National Drug Control Master Plan, National Pharmaceutical traceability, Global Rapid Interdiction of Dangerous Substances (GRIDS  ) – INCB Regional Technical Officer ( RTO ) for Central and West Africa has been selecting focal points for multi – agency training courses on real – time communication and intelligence sharing tools as well as Drug Demand Reduction Activities “.

“ I wish to reiterate NAFDAC commitment to ensuring availability of controlled substances for medical and scientific purposes while preventing diversion to illicit use “. Adeyeye

The Provost, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Professor Adewale Oke in a message to the gathering, explained that, there are some clinical conditions that involve excruciating pain that warrant giving some of the narcotics to them, such as, orthopedic patients, especially those with fractures and in the management of cancer.

 “ In surgery, we also use quite a number of of these drugs in the management of pain in patients, adding that there is a number of clinicians that when a patient becomes addictive, it is very important for a clinicians to know at what point a patient

No longer require these analgesics and has become addicted and that is the dilemma we have “. Oke

In such cases according to him, there are signs you will see, sometimes when you think the clinical situation has improved, and would not warrant demands, “ sometimes we can give glaseco, nothing that, if such patient responds to it, that is a red flag that, that patient is likely to be dependent on the drug and at that point as a psychiatrist, you should know that it has gone beyond the chemicals in the drug ,”

Professor Oke, showed gratitude about the drug control, saying, ‘ It is the Commonest problem we have in psychiatric now, particularly, patients that are addicted to Metamozine injection and other and even not only to the public, but even among  colleagues in health services, especially those working in the theatre and even with some professionals that are directly in charge of the drugs over time tends to be addicted and it is a big public health problem “.

He expressed the hope that with the collaboration of NAFDAC and other sister agencies, we will be able to nip the problem in the bud.

Lunching the Report, Director, Narcotics Control Services, NAFDAC, Mrs Yedunni Adenuga notes that drug trafficking has gone online and expressed disappointment that it has made it difficult to track offenders

“ Drugs are now trafficked Online and this has become an issue to officials of the agencies and NAFDAC moreso, heroine and some other drugs are not under control and that is another problem “. She said

Delivering a goodwill message, the Zonal Director Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria, PCN, Lagos Office, who represented the Registrar, Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria, Ibrahim Ahmed said, the tracking would serve as a beacon of hope.

“ I look forward to mutual understanding in working together for the benefit of the people and the  country at large “. Ahmed

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA on it’s part says, the major challenge facing the agency, is that of diversion of drugs to either, Onisha, Idumota, and Sabongari drug markets, by importers, after confirming the drugs to be genuine.                     

“ Let there be a stronger collaboration of all relevant agencies in the fight against  drug trafficking, but we will continue to disturb NAFDAC whenever the need arises.