The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has issued a firm warning that alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine are potential “gateway” substances leading to drug abuse among Nigerian youth.
A Chief Superintendent of narcotics at the NDLEA, Ugochukwu Emeka, gave this warning on Tuesday at an event organised by the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) and Mathias Aliu, councillor representing Wuse ward.
He explained that while these substances are widely accepted in society, their misuse often initiates a path toward more dangerous drug dependencies.
He stressed that even minor substance abuse—starting with what may seem harmless like alcohol or caffeine—can gradually lead to a reliance on highly addictive and harmful drugs.
He said: “Caffeine is acceptable. Nicotine is acceptable in society, but hear me out, they are the starting points. These socially acceptable drugs are divided into three, they are alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine.
“Let me tell you, alcohol is a drug; the WHO, Google it, annually it [substances] takes three million deaths, 2.6 million is alcohol while 0.6 is other drugs. Alcohol is a depressant. It depresses your central nervous system. It is the starting point of every depressant.
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“We are talking about the gateway drugs, we must stay away from the gateway drugs”.
This concern aligns with the findings of international agencies on substance abuse in Nigeria.
A joint survey by Nigeria’s government, the European Union, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) revealed an alarmingly high prevalence of drug use in the country, with 14.4 percent of Nigerians aged 15 to 64 reporting drug use in the past year—nearly three times the global average of 5.6 percent.
Cannabis remains the most frequently used drug, with opioids, including prescription drugs like tramadol, following closely behind. These substances are widely available, particularly in urban centers, where they are often viewed as coping mechanisms amid economic hardship and social instability.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) also highlights that alcohol alone accounts for around three million deaths globally each year.
In Nigeria, as in many developing countries, youth are increasingly exposed to these “socially acceptable” drugs due to low enforcement and high accessibility.
Source: Premium Times
