02/08/2025
The unsafe and uncontrolled drug use among farmers in Kugbaru, a rural farming community in Nasarawa State indicates a quiet but devastating health crisis in the community.
As latest field engagement and documentary of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) on Premium Times reveal, many farmers in Kugbaru have turned to substances such as tramadol, cannabis, and other psychoactive drugs to cope with long working hours, physical pain, and economic hardship. Unfortunately, rather than receive health-centered care and education, these individuals are met with judgment, neglect, or criminalization.
It is important to emphasize that the challenges facing Kugbaru farmers are rooted in deeper issues such as poverty, lack of healthcare access, stress, and absence of support systems. Treating them as criminals only worsens these challenges, while doing nothing to resolve the crisis.
We must adopt a public health approach that prioritizes education, rehabilitation, and community-based care. Drug use in rural communities like Kugbaru should be met with investment in health outreach, vocational support, and trauma-informed intervention programs.
The evidence is clear: punitive drug policies do not work. What works is knowledge, empathy, and empowerment, which are values we champion at KODA Nigeria
This is not just about drug use, it is about dignity, health, and the right to thrive, even in the most underserved corners of our nation.
We call on government agencies, civil society organizations, and health professionals to join in responding to the crisis in Kugbaru, and across Nigeria, not with handcuffs, but with help.
