Chairman of the National Drug Law Agency, Buba Marwa, has said that the legalisation of cannabis may bring money but it is about money versus life.
According to him, what society would lose from doing so will be more fundamental than money.
There has been call for the legalisation of the substance, as recently championed by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State.
Akeredolu said it was important to exploit the medicinal value of it, both for health and financial rewards.
But several people have opposed the idea, with Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, saying his government would do everything possible to block any bill promoting it at the National Assembly.
Addressing journalist in Abuja on Friday, Marwa said, “Now, the World Health Organisation itself has declared cannabis affects the brain, alters brain function. It destabilizes, affects behavior. It also affects body organs, and at some point, it can lead to death.
“So, while we appreciate those who want to localize it for financial gains, we have to be careful to reconcile it with life. So it’s money versus life. And up to this point, science has not developed up to the point where it can remove the THC in cannabis to zero.
“Therefore, cannabis is harmful to our health, it is a danger to society. We must never allow its legalization. What’s more, Nigeria has 10.6 million cannabis users, this is the highest in the world. Isn’t it sad?
“We should be the highest in science, technology, mathematics, physics, and stuff that were looked at as highest in cannabis. That is something we need.
“We can never support legalization and I don’t see how the National Assembly would pass the Act because I know 90% or more of the honorable and distinguished members of the National Assembly know the implications of this legalization and they dare not go back to their constituencies if anyone signs legalization because we’re seeing the implication on the ground. The youths, the families are being destroyed because of cannabis and drugs. It wouldn’t be legalized by the grace of God.”
