The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has cautioned students in Oyo State to avoid alcohol and drug consumption, warning of their harmful effects.
NAFDAC described alcoholism as a chronic illness that can develop at any age, including adolescence, noting that alcohol consumption has become a troubling social issue in many countries.
Speaking in Ibadan at the โCatch Them Youngโ inauguration of the NAFDAC Consumer Safety Club (NCSC) for secondary school students, themed โYour Future Counts! Say No to Illicit Drugs and Yes to Lifeโ, NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, expressed concern over the widespread use of alcohol among adolescents, regardless of ethnicity, gender, or race.
Represented by the Director of NAFDACโs South West Zone, Mrs. Roseline Ajayi, Adeyeye stressed that alcohol consumption can severely affect physical, emotional, social, and academic development. She urged young people to avoid substance abuse, emphasizing that adolescents are at a critical stage of growth.
She further warned that alcohol-related issues among teenagers often lead to academic failure, school dropouts, legal troubles, and engagement in negative behaviors such as the use of obscene language and other social vices.
She said, โHealth related problems like poor nutrition, memory disorders, liver disease, high blood pressure, muscle weakness, heart rhythm disturbances, anaemia, low blood sugar and weakened bones. (TheNation)