Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), has advocated  urgent, coordinated, and sustained actions to combat drug abuse which has constituted a major public health menace in our country.

In his message to mark the International Day Against Drug, the National Chairman of ACPN,  Ezeh Ambrose Igwekamma, said that focus should now be home prevention, education, early intervention, and rehabilitation.

“As the National Chairman of ACPN, I join millions around the world to reaffirm our commitment to the fight against drug abuse and to call for urgent, coordinated, and sustained actions to combat this public health menace in our dear country,” he said.

 Igwekamma said the theme for this year’s celebration, “The Evidence is Clear: Invest in Prevention,” resonates deeply with our vision at the ACPN.

“It reminds us that we must shift our focus from reaction to prevention. As community pharmacists—trusted, accessible healthcare providers on the frontlines—we witness firsthand the silent crisis of substance abuse in our communities, especially among our youth.” 

He said ACPN for more than  a decade has demonstrated a concerns on massive awareness creation through  the National Anti-Drug abuse competition among students in secondary school nationwide.

According to him, the essence of the annual competition is for prevention and also to dis abused the minds of younger generations against the consequences of drug abuse which Align with the same with the  UNODC Strategic plan for substance Abuse 

He added: “Every tablet sold without prescription, every codeine cough syrup diverted, and every hard drug traded illegally is not just a crime—it is a threat to our collective future. 

“Drug abuse fuels mental health disorders, crime, school dropout, family breakdown, and premature deaths. It cripples dreams and sabotages national development”.

The ACPN president  called on all stakeholders—government, civil society, security agencies, religious and traditional leaders, parents, and educators—to intensify their roles in prevention, education, early intervention, and rehabilitation.

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