Hours after a documentary titled, ‘Sweet, Sweet Codeine,’ was aired on BBC, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control was directed by the Federal Ministry of Health to ban with immediate effect further issuance of permits for the importation of codeine as active pharmaceutical ingredient for cough preparations.
The documentary showed the syrup being sold on the black market to be used by young Nigerians to get high. And the youths who were addicted to codeine displaying symptoms of mental illness and confined to an ill-equipped rehabilitation centre. And It recorded a number of pharmaceutical figures selling the drug illegally.
According to the Nigerian Senate as many as three million bottles of codeine syrup are drunk every single day in just two states, Kano and Jigawa.
BBC team caught an executive for Emzor Pharmaceuticals boasting he could sell "one million cartons" in a week on the black market.
But Emzor told the BBC its representative only had access to a very limited amount of its brand of syrup, Emzolyn with codeine, and could not sell large quantities illegally.
The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, has said that the decision to ban codeine became necessary due to the gross abuse of its use. He also said that cough syrups containing codeine should be replaced with dextromethorphan which is less addictive. He also directed the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria and NAFDAC to supervise the recall for labelling and audit trailing of all cough syrups that contain codeine in the country.
The minister noted that NAFDAC had an emergency meeting with the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group to inform them that there was an embargo on all new applications for registration of codeine-containing cough syrups as well as applications for renewal had been abolished.
The statement read in part, “The PCN has been directed to continue enforcement activities on pharmacies, patent and proprietary medicine vendor shops and outlets throughout the country.”
NAFDAC was also directed to fully carry out its functions among others: to regulate and control the manufacturing, distribution and sale of drugs, including inspection at points of entry of drugs, drug products and food for compliance with the new directive.
Adewole said the ministry would ensure collaboration among regulatory agencies namely, NAFDAC, PCN, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, for effective implementation of extant Acts, regulations, policies and guidelines on codeine control and usage and that these agencies shall work together to increase pharmaco-vigilance around codeine, tramadol and other related substances of abuse.
Codeine is a pain killer but also an addictive opioid. If taken in excess, it can cause schizophrenia and organ failure.
*Officially banned but it will still be in circulation...That is Nigeria for you,until they begin to send people who sell it to Jail,the damages and sales rates will not be curbed.
FG una good morning
ReplyDeleteVery good. It should be banned.
ReplyDeleteThis people are joking,Codeine and the rest have come to stay and it's not going to be easy removing this drugs from circulation.
ReplyDeleteThere is already an addiction problem within our youths in Nigeria
In the North Codeine is taking by both young and old,single and married.
it has also been found to be the next best thing to cure marital woes among married women.
The only reason the FG is now taking this issue serious is because they have realised that it's more of a Northern problem...as their youths have turned Codeine into coke & fanta
I heard from a reliable friend that 8 out of 10 women in the North take Codeine regularly and that A former governor of a Northern state campaigned for his senatorial seat by sharing 2 trailers of codeine during the last election.
The government only care now because majority of the problem is been faced by northerners if it were an eastern or southern problem I am sure they wouldnt raise an eye brow
LEP😛
LEP...u are right..northern women loves taking codein mixed with egg and lucozade to give them nother sensational taste.
DeleteThis syrup is a system killer,was once a drug addict,I take nothing less than 12capsule of 100mg of TMD..but lory to Jah,,with determination and readiness,now a free being
Mc pinky
You said my mind ,the ban will actually boost bizness for the sellers cos they will add more money to sale, If easterners or southern Ready more affected they won't blink an eye, lazy northern youths disgracing us since 18bc
DeleteSigh
DeleteDid any of you watch the documentary! One of the illegal sellers in Ilorin boasted that an Eastern seller buys 60,000 bottles in a go and exhaust it in a month with new order for more! He takes them all to the East. This was captured on hidden camera!
Right in Lagos, they captured on hidden camera people drinking codeine at an open bar freely.
All these illegal sellers who were captured on hidden camera were willing to sell to the investigative journalist who claim he was going to sell it to students (in Lagos, this particular meeting happened in LAGOS!) and Ogun state (he was explicit about this one, the meeting happened in Ilorin)
PLEASE, Stella, watch the documentary and do a transcript so they can be better educated.
The situation is an epidemic. And it can affect any member of anyone's family! These people are targeting students! They brag and boast about how they feed off the demand and addiction of the youths. They brag shamelessly! It is very sad and depressing! Some people are very wicked.
One of the illegal sellers who works as an executive in a pharmaceutical company came directly from church on a Sunday to conduct a meeting where he brag about selling lots of drugs to youths while feeding off their addiction.
Same as the other illegal sellers. they are all top players in the pharmaceutical companies!
Please, post more about this to educate everyone. The current economical state, social trends, pop culture and grief is luring the youths into this addiction.
So, how is this a northern problem.
The meeting happened in the south! Lagos and Ilorin. The Igbos and Yorubas are the kingpins caught so far!!! Ilorin is the capital of legal codeine production in the country! Yes, it is legal hence the corrupted top players there use smokescreen to sell them in buck legally to pharmacists who then sell them illegally to the black market. In Lagos, they captured the Igbo kingpins and in Ilorin they captured the Yoruba kingpins.
It is a national issue!
Ko kan mi, ko kan mi. O n bo ma wa kan mi.
It may not affect anyone you know now. But be aware and stop pointing fingers. It affects us all. Be alert before it gets so close to you!
Watch the documentary so you can know telltale signs to look for in your family members. If you see anything alarming, get them help before it is too late!
These dealers and gangs are ruthless!! Selfish, greedy, callous and very wicked! They were bragging! Gosh! 🤦
Don't base your hypothesis and conclusion on assumption. The documentary is a research. It showed valid data analysis. Your statement here is subjective. He said, she said.
Have a good day, everyone. And may God help Nigeria! May we also make effort to help ourselves!
And they had to wait for BBC to teach them their job duties and responsibilities before they took action.
ReplyDeleteTor
DeleteMy thoughts exactly!
Delete@kamikaze thank you. just what i was thinking. BBC had to air it for them to take action. losers
ReplyDelete@kamikaze thank you. just what i was thinking. BBC had to air it for them to take action. losers
ReplyDeleteDrug abuse is not centred around codeine, what about tramadol, marijuana and the rest?? They need to do more about drug abuse not judt banning codeine
ReplyDeleteDrug abuse is not centred around codeine, what about tramadol, marijuana and the rest?? They need to do more about drug abuse not judt banning codeine
ReplyDeleteLook at these STUPID idiots in government!!! People have been shouting upandan about this problem in the north. That's the same way they suddenly woke up when CNN aired the documentary on slavery in Libya. That one has died down until the next documentary series. I no blame them, na lazy Nigerian youth wey dey vote them into power. Cretans!!!
ReplyDeletethe way northern girls abuse codeine and tramadol is alarming. During my stay in Amina hostel, they always mix it with coca cola so you will think they are drinking coke, then use sunshade to hide their dilated pupils.
ReplyDeleteJokers..that's my drug,AM asthmatic
ReplyDeleteReal jokers
DeleteI remember my encounter with this codeine smh
ReplyDeleteI was travelling home and I had a serious cough. When I got home, my dad came to pick me from the park and he noticed I was coughing. He drove me to a pharmacy and he told them to bring 'Tutolin with codeine so she can sleep well'. Prior to that time, I don't even know what codeine was.
I got home and gulped a large part of the 'Tutolin with codeine'. People of God I slept till about 3pm the next day. I had the wildest dreams and it seemed like I would not wake up. Daddy was like "How many spoons did you take?" He was so worried. I told him I gulped a lot. Daddy told me I could have passed to the 'other side' lol
SCARY SHIT
DON'T DO DRUGS!
This has been long overdue but doubtful if it will yield maximum result.A right step has been taken that might increase the price since it is now contraband. You will not believe the arguement between two friends.If BBC can give such report it means water don pass garri.
ReplyDeleteMake Emzor executive go drink Dem one million bottles in a week. They can recruit their family members to assist. So many dangerous products being marketed actively in this country because pharmaceutical companies must make money. Yet dey smell
ReplyDeleteListen to yourself. Who told you it's dangerous. People abuse it
DeleteThis drug is actually needed by certain people and the government instead of taking the better step of stopping or managing the situation they decided to cut the limb. I weep for Nigeria