MORAL DECADENCY HERALDED BY DRUG ABUSE IN LAGOS STATE

In a mega city like Lagos , drug abuse is the commonest social vice that plagues the state. Recently, the rate at which people abuse drugs is so alarming that much effort made to eradicate it have proven fruitless.

The conventional definition of Drug Abuse as the illegal use of drugs without prescription from a medical practitioner does not suffice in this context. We can put that, 'Drug Abuse is the excessive, addictive, maladaptive use of drugs for non medical purpose despite the social, psychological and physical problem that may occur even after it's consumption. Drugs which are not necessarily pills but are commonly abused in our society includdes alchohol heroine, marijuana, opium, Crystal methamphetamine etc.

In our society today,the abuse of drugs starts from somewhat innocent stage. Very early in the morning,men and women, even those who are supposedly learned judging by their suits and ties as well as tattered looking ruffians and thugs can be seen bonding like long lost family as they dicuss the potency of one 'agbo' to another while the wait in queue to buy herbal concoctions popularly known as 'agbo'.once people get used to this 'agbo' of different varieties, their bodies become immune to it's effect and they begin to crave something 'stronger', something 'new', something in Vogue.

Then, instead of 'drinking' agbo,people start 'smoking' agbo.One that is common on the street of Lagos is 'jedi' which is wrapped in a paper like a cigarette and sold for a token making it accessible and affordable for everyone across all social and financial classes.Once their body system get used to smoking 'Jedi', they go hungry for the next high and, devious as the human mind is they do not get satisfied untill they discover other new drugs which so much leads to death.

A video that trended on social media some weeks ago revealed a baby who was seen smoking Indian hemp. It was vivid that an adult man presumably the baby's father was the one giving the chid the Indian hemp. This goes to show the level that our society has sunk if since no reports have been made concerning repremanding that man.

Also,according to the statistics provided by the Lagos State Traffic Management (LASMA), drugs including Alcohol, tobacco heroin have caused a lot of road accident which have claimed lots of lives and properties. 

Rape cases, hooliganism, Vandalism are often associated with drug abuse and if left unchecked, drug abuse in Lagos State would spread like a wild fire razing everything in its part thereby, reducing our society to a state of rubbles leaving our societal norms, values,morals, beliefs, dignity and even economic development in shambles.

JOHNSON OMOBOLANLE