The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has commended some members of the House of Representatives for disagreeing with three of their colleagues over a bill seeking to legalise the cultivation, sale and use of cannabis, also known as marijuana, for commercial purposes.
The Chairman of the NDLEA, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (retd.), on Friday, lauded the lawmakers for rejecting what he called “another attempt to push through a bill to decriminalise cannabis cultivation, sale and use in Nigeria on the floor of the Green Chamber of the National Assembly”.
The PUNCH reports that the House of Representatives on Thursday voted down the bill harmoniously sponsored by Benjamin Kalu, Olumide Osoba, and Miriam Onuoha.
Apart from the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, and the sponsors, all those who spoke at the second reading on Thursday criticised the bill.
The criticisms against the proposal forced the sponsors to demand that it be stepped down for review, a prayer that the lawmakers unanimously granted.
Marwa said history would never forget those who stood with parents to protect them and their children from any legislation that would turn Nigeria into a nation of junkies and criminals, which would amount to taking a step forward and 10 steps backward.
He noted that a 2018 drug survey figure of 10.6 million Nigerians abusing cannabis alone was enough to sound the alarm bell.
“In the final analysis, drug abuse is indeed one of the factors fueling insecurity. As such, Nigeria cannot afford to permit the cultivation, sale and use of the most abused illicit drug under whatever guise,” he added.
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