Obasanjo, Ex-Switzerland President Urge FG, Others to Review Drug Policy

Former Nigeria President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, and his Switzerland counterpart, Mrs. Ruth Dreifuss, have canvased for a review of the drug policies on the continents of the world to reduce the social menace which it possess to the society.

Both Obasanjo and Dreifuss spoke at the weekend during the eighth international symposium organised by the Centre for Human Security and Dialogue of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) as part of activities to mark the 81st birthday of the former president, who doubles as the Chairman of the West Africa Commission on Drug.

Specifically, Obasanjo said: "We must continue to talk about drug misuse to the policy makers, religious and opinion leaders, students and teachers. We must all see the menace of drug as a social problem and not as a health issue.

"It is imperative for us to see and look for the global best practices. Let us look at what other countries have done to get there and emulate them, the current legislation has not changed much," as he advocated for adherence to international best practices.

At the meeting where members of the academia, opinion, religious leaders and health officials were copiously represented, Obasanjo also called for nondiscrimination of drug users.

In her keynote address, entitled: ‘The World Drug Perception Problems-countering prejudices about people who use drugs’,  Dreifuss said $360 billion is lost to illicit drug sales and consumption in the world yearly.

She proffered what she described as "a large option of treatment needed to arrive at the appropriate one," listing "psychosocial support, substitution therapy and heroine assisted treatment," amongst them.

Dreifuss, who is the Chair of Global Commission on Drug, advised countries of the world to promote non- stigmatisation and nondiscriminatory language; refocus enforcement responses to drug distribution and organised crime; end criminalisation and incarceration of people who use drugs; put peoples health and safety first as well as provide access to essential medicines and pain control," which is important for Africa.