Bothered by the excessive abuse of the cough syrup by youths and even married women, particularly in the Northern region, Sokoto state governor, Aminu Tambuwal, has called on the Federal government to ban the sale of syrups that have codeine as part of its constituents.
Governor Tambuwal made the appeal when he spoke at a workshop on Addiction and Prevention held at the Sultan Maccido Institute of Quran and General Studies, Sokoto yesterday, March 20th.
Represented by the state Commissioner of Health, Dr. Balarabe Kakale, Governor Tambuwal said the cough syrups with codeine should be banned because they are not saving lives.
The Federal Government should ban the sale of codeine in Nigeria because they are not life saving drugs.” he said
Sometime ago, the Lagos State Government arrested three pupils of Atunrashe High School, Mushin, for smoking and being in possession of Indian hemp and substance known as codeine.
The pupils were nabbed by officials of Lagos State Neighbourhood and Safety Corps (LNSC).
LNSC officials found the three under-aged boys, whose names were withheld, while smoking Indian hemp and using codeine in the Surulere area of Lagos from where they were then traced to their school.
Reacting to the development, the state Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mr Agboola Dabiri, said the state government would not condone illegality, adding that plans are at an advanced stage for them to be sent to a correctional home for reformation.
