A high-level report commissioned by President Olusegun Obasanjo has added to the growing argument for “soft drugs” to be legalised across Western Africa. The findings argue the move is needed to take power away from the drug cartels operating in this region, something which is increasingly proving troublesome.
Over the last twenty years, Nigeria has increasingly suffered problems with the trafficking of hard drugs, particularly amphetamines and cocaine. It’s widely believed that Latin American producers of these drugs are now routing them to Europe via Africa after their old routes became less viable. As a result, the increased flow of drugs through Western Africa has filled up local jails and saw a rise in the number of violent crimes being committed.
A New Twist to an Old Problem
Nigeria has long had a culture of drug use across the country. With 29 million Nigerians estimated to regularly smoke Marijuana, this equates to 14.3% of the population. Only Iceland (18.3%) and the United States (16.2%) have a more widespread culture of smoking according to information released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Despite this, Nigeria has long enforced strict laws regarding all drug-related crimes. With possession for personal use often carrying a 10 to 15-year sentence, this zero tolerance approach has done little to eradicate the problem.
Changing Times
Another problem stems from the prosecution process itself. There is a common practice whereby bribes are often paid to secure release before a case goes to trial.
With all offenses currently being treated equally, the financial muscle behind drug traffickers gives them a distinctive edge over average users who get caught by the police.
There is also a changing attitude slowly creeping into Nigerian life. So-called head shops which specialise in selling smoking paraphernalia have sprung up online and throughout many of the countries cities. Selling everything from grinders, papers, and bongs to glass rolling tips, their popularity is evidence of an open and accepting attitude towards drug consumption in the country.
Stories of dangerous synthetic marijuana alternatives such as Black Mamba have also begun surfacing across the country. These once-legal substances are reportedly posing a serious health risk to users, adding more urgency for a change in Nigeria’s ageing drug laws.
Official Weight
The recent report published as a result of the President Obasanjo Commission was authorised by former UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan. This is the latest official statement to add weight to the cause which has been hitting the headlines this year.
There was confusion at the end of March when a United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) representative was falsely reported to have urged the Nigerian government to relax its drug laws.
Since then, Zimbabwe has followed the footsteps of Lesotho by relaxing the rules related to the medicinal use of marijuana. With the debate in Nigeria set t rumble onwards in the immediate future, it remains to be seen exactly how the Nigerian government will tackle the serious problem affecting the Western African nations since the turn of this century.
