Here are the most abused substances in Nigeria

Drug and substance abuse have always been a Nigerian problem, but with the Nigerians under 30, the problem becomes more worrying by the year.

In 2017, Pulse did a breakdown of the most consumed drugs in Nigeria, amidst the storm created by drug seizures by the National Association for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and deaths resulting from drug overdose.

Then, 'Black Mamba' the dangerously and widely consumed marijuana strain that gained notoriety in Nigerian through 2017 also got a discussion.

On January 2, 2018, via "The Conversation," CNN dropped a list of the most addictive substances in the world;

1. Heroin

2. Cocaine

3. Nicotine

4. Barbiturates (downers)

5. Alcohol

That's not beyond comprehension. Drug abuse has become of contemporary life, music and the now mainstream 'trap culture.' Synthetic marijuana is now treated as a Nigerian rite of passage; an object of 'cool.'

That said, In Nigeria, however, there might be a slight difference in the substances abused. Nigerians consume downers, nicotine and alcohol more than cocaine and heroin due to affordability.

In addition to downers, nicotine, and alcohol, opiates (part of the opioid family) and psychoactive drugs are the most abused substances in Nigeria.

A 2015 study conducted by World Bank collection of development indicators placed smoking prevalence among adult male Nigerians at 17.4%. An alcohol consumption study conducted by the World Health Organization placed that fifty-six percent (56%) of Nigerians over the age of 15 consume alcohol.

The study also reveals that fifty percent (50%) of Nigerians in urban areas consume alcohol.

Nigerians are more into the different strains of marijuana - a psychoactive drug, the opioid pain medication, tramadol, refnol, and meth. Another highly abused substance in Nigeria is an opiate, codeine - which has since been banned.

A study of secondary schools in Northern Nigeria used by Wikipedia states that, “Substance abuse ranged between 1.1 ‑ 3.5% with a male to female ratio of substance abuse of 3:1. 3% smoked cigarettes, benzodiazepines abused by 3.5% and solvents by 1.5%. Abuse of cocaine and heroin was 1.1% and 1.3% respectively.”

A NAFDAC lecture on "The Problem of Drugs/Substance Abuse in Nigeria" by Professor Mojisola Adeyeye at the University of Benin states that the recommended dosage for Tramadol was between, 50mg - 100mg but Nigerians now consume about 225mg of Tramadol - and even up to 400mg.

Every other month, news and reports document seizures of incredible amounts of Tramadol shipment by members of the Nigerian Customs.

Asides that, a May 7, 2018 article on Premium Times also named an analgesic, Alabukun, Aspirin and Valium, a Benzodiazepin as some of the most abused pharmaceutical drugs in Nigeria through self-medication.