By Chioma Iruke
Chairman of Nigeria’s anti-narcotics agency, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Buba Marwa, has warned that any legislator at the National Assembly who vote to legalize cannabis would not dare return to their constituencies.
Marwa said this on Friday while addressing State House correspondents after a meeting with the President, Muhammadu Buhari, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The NDLEA boss said cannabis had destroyed a lot of lives across the country and should not be legalized for monetary profits.
He added that the World Health Organization (WHO) had confirmed the dangers of the substance to the brain, adding that Nigeria is the highest consumer.
He said, “So, while we appreciate those who want to legalize it for financial gains, we have to be careful to reconcile it with life. So, it’s money versus life. And up to this point, science has not developed up to the point where it can remove the THC in cannabis to zero.
“Therefore, cannabis is harmful to our health; it is a danger to society. We must never allow its legalization. What’s more, Nigeria has 10.6 million cannabis users; this is the highest in the world. Isn’t it sad?
“We can never support legalization and I don’t see how the National Assembly would pass the Act because I know 90 per cent or more of the honorable and distinguished members of the National Assembly know the implications of this legalization.
“They dare not go back to their constituencies if anyone signs legalization because we’re seeing the implication on the ground. The youths, the families are being destroyed because of cannabis and drugs. It wouldn’t be legalized by the grace of God.”
