Akuskura Photo: NDLEA Janet Ogundepo Daily, youths devise new ways to satisfy their cravings for psychoactive substances, and according to psychiatrists, medical and drug experts, this trend is dangerous and forecasts a bleak future and may worsen Nigeria’s mental health crisis. They noted that the situation would further impact the productivity level of the country, leading to more economic losses and a shortage of human capital. In 2022, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency alerted the public to the presence of ‘Akuskura’, a new psychoactive drug made of herbs but laced with tobacco and cannabis.
NDLEA Chairman, Buba Marwa Last week, the agency announced the arrest of two suspects in the Federal Capital Territory with 3,550 bottles of the substance as well as other illicit drugs. Before then, the agency had dealt with reducing the supply of other psychoactive substances such as cocaine, meth, ‘skuchies’, skunk, laughing gas, tramadol, ‘colos’ and ‘MkpuruMmiri’, among others. However, several reports from the NDLEA indicated the rapid emergence and innovation of other psychoactive substances in the country.
According to the World Health Organisation, psychoactive substances are drugs that when taken, inhaled or administered into one’s system, affect the perception, consciousness, cognition, mood or emotions of the individuals. WHO Due to the numerous effects and health risks, the WHO noted that psychoactive drugs have different degrees of restriction .
