The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has alerted members of the public to the circulation of a dangerous, illicit drug, Fentanyl, in the Nigerian market.
In a statement issued by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said Fentanyl is 100 times stronger than Tramadol and very harmful when used without a prescription.
The Agency further warned that the consumption of the illicitly manufactured drug can cause mass casualty among the young population being targeted by the cartels.
The anti-narcotics agency said every step must be taken to ensure that the drug which is currently responsible for over 70% of overdose deaths as well as a major contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in the US is not allowed to circulate in Nigeria because of its lethality and the current drug abuse prevalence of 14.4% in the country.
“We are not unaware of desperate efforts by some drug cartels to introduce Fentanyl to the Nigerian market, which according to the CDC, is 80 times as potent as morphine and 100 times more potent than heroin.
“This, they plan to do either in liquid or powder form and/or with misleading labels to target our youth population.
“They may also mix with other prescription drugs. The illegally manufactured fentanyl in its liquid form can come in nasal sprays, eye drops, or small candies.
“As a result, parents and other stakeholders are advised to be vigilant, stay alert, and warn their young ones against attempting to experiment with this illicit substance.
The statement also reveals symptoms of Fentanyl exposure and/or overdose to include pinpoint pupils, falling asleep or losing consciousness, slow and shallow breathing, choking or gurgling sounds, limp body, and pale, blue, or cold skin.
The NDLEA further assured that all necessary assets had been deployed to monitor the cartels involved with a view to disrupting their criminal plots and arresting them.
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