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UN Expresses Worries Over Legalization of Cannabis in Parts of the World

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UN Tasks Political Stakeholders in Nigeria to Remain Committed to Peace and Democracy in Africa 

UN Expresses Worries Over Legalization of Cannabis in Parts of the World

By: Michael Mike

The United Nations has condemned recent legalization of cannabis in parts of the world, lamenting that such action has led to global increase in use and abuse of drugs worldwide.

A press release by the UN Information Service on Monday said cannabis legalization in parts of the world appears to have accelerated daily use and related health impacts, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)’s World Drug Report 2022. 

The report which was released on Monday also showed rises in the manufacturing of cocaine, the expansion of synthetic drugs to new markets, and continued gaps in the availability of drug treatments, especially for women.  

According to the report, around 284 million people aged 15-64 used drugs worldwide in 2020, a 26 per cent increase over the previous decade. Young people are using more drugs, with use levels today in many countries higher than with the previous generation. In Africa and Latin America, people under 35 represent the majority of people being treated for drug use disorders.

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Globally, the report estimates that 11.2 million people worldwide were injecting drugs. Around half of this number were living with hepatitis C, 1.4 million were living with HIV, and 1.2 million were living with both.

The statement said while reacting to these findings, UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly stated that: “Numbers for the manufacturing and seizures of many illicit drugs are hitting record highs, even as global emergencies are deepening vulnerabilities. At the same time, misperceptions regarding the magnitude of the problem and the associated harms are depriving people of care and treatment and driving young people towards harmful behaviours. 

“We need to devote the necessary resources and attention to addressing every aspect of the world drug problem, including the provision of evidence-based care to all who need it, and we need to improve the knowledge base on how illicit drugs relate to other urgent challenges, such as conflicts and environmental degradation.”

The report further emphasizes the importance of galvanizing the international community, governments, civil society and all stakeholders to take urgent action to protect people, including by strengthening drug use prevention and treatment and by tackling illicit drug supply.

The report stated that early indications and effects of cannabis legalization in North America appears to have increased daily cannabis use, especially potent cannabis products and particularly among young adults. Associated increases in people with psychiatric disorders, suicides and hospitalizations have also been reported. Legalization has also increased tax revenues and generally reduced arrest rates for cannabis possession.

According to the report, added to this is the continued growth in drug production and trafficking, revealing that cocaine  manufacture was at a record high in 2020, growing 11 per cent from 2019 to 1,982 tons. Cocaine seizures also increased, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, to a record 1,424 tons in 2020. Nearly 90 per cent of cocaine seized globally in 2021 was trafficked in containers and/or by sea. Seizure data suggest that cocaine trafficking is expanding to other regions outside the main markets of North America and Europe, with increased levels of trafficking to Africa and Asia.

The report also showed that trafficking of methamphetamine continues to expand geographically, with 117 countries reporting seizures of methamphetamine in 2016‒2020 versus 84 in 2006‒2010, with the quantities of methamphetamine seized growing five-fold between 2010 and 2020.

It also showed that opium production worldwide grew seven per cent between 2020 and 2021 to 7,930  tons ‐ predominantly due  to an increase in production in Afghanistan. However, the global area under opium poppy cultivation fell by 16 per cent to 246,800 hectares in the same period.

Key drug trends broken down by region

In many countries in Africa and South and Central America, the largest proportion of people in treatment for drug use disorders are there primarily for cannabis use disorders. In Eastern and South-Eastern Europe and in Central Asia, people are most often in treatment for opioid use disorders.

In the United States and Canada, overdose deaths, predominantly driven by an epidemic of the non-medical use of fentanyl, continue to break records. Preliminary estimates in the United States point to more than 107,000 drug overdose deaths in 2021, up from nearly 92,000 in 2020.

In the two largest markets for methamphetamine, seizures have been increasing ‐ they rose by seven per cent in North America from the previous year, while in South-East Asia they increased by 30 per cent from the previous year, record highs in both regions. A record high was also reported for methamphetamine seizures reported from South-West Asia, increasing by 50 per cent in 2020 from 2019.  

The report also showed a possible growing capacity to manufacture amphetamine in Ukraine if the conflict persists in the country, stating that there 

was a significant increase in the number of reported clandestine laboratories in Ukraine, skyrocketing from 17 dismantled laboratories in 2019 to 79 in 2020, noting that 67 out of these laboratories were producing amphetamines, up from five in 2019 ‐ the highest number of dismantled laboratories reported in any given country in 2020.

UN Expresses Worries Over Legalization of Cannabis in Parts of the World

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Bandits kill 12 in Kwara community attack

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Bandits kill 12 in Kwara community attack

By: Zagazola Makama

Suspected bandits on Sunday attacked Hybrid Force camp in Oke Ode, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara, killing 12 people.

Zagazola learnt that the attack occurred at about 8:50 a.m. when the gunmen stormed the community.

Troops from a patrol base in Babanla were immediately mobilised to the scene, but the attackers fled before their arrival.

A search of the area by the troops led to the discovery of 12 lifeless bodies comprising nine vigilantes and three civilians killed during the attack.

The corpses of the deceased were evacuated to Oke Ode Police Station while troops restored calm in the area.

The source said the general security situation in the area remained calm but unpredictable.
Bandits kill 12 in Kwara community attack

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Again suspected Boko Haram insurgents return to Kirawa with damnation

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Again suspected Boko Haram insurgents return to Kirawa with damnation

By: Bodunrin Kayode

Boko Haram Insurgents have again attacked Kirawa a border community in Borno state killing a civilian joint task force (CJTF) member and wounding several others in the process.

The Boko Haram insurgents ambushed the commuters driving into Kirawa a community in Bama council area and killed the CJTF in the process.

To punish some of the commuters further for fleeing away from the scene of the ambush, the insurgents burned down some of their vehicles before returning into the bush unchallenged.

After the attack died down, some motorists and passengers who sustained different degrees of injuries were treated in nearby clinics.

Sources revealed that trouble started when six vehicles loaded with food items and other luggages were ambushed and set ablaze by the insurgents along the Pulka-Kirawa road on Friday last week.

Senator representing Borno South, Mohammed Ndume reacting to the incident called on the military authorities to deploy more troops to safeguard the entire communities around Gwoza council area and Cameroun.

There is only one forward military base (FOB) in Kirawa and it is dominated by the Multi national joint task force MNJTF of mostly Camerounian troops mandated to pin down kirawa on both sides of the divides of the two countries.

A lot of the Intel policing of the community is done by CJTF even as families are still awaiting the rescue of a schoolgirl, Aisha Muhammad that was kidnapped by the insurgents a month ago when this very base was overrun leaving sorrow tears and blood in the community.

Again suspected Boko Haram insurgents return to Kirawa with damnation

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Police investigate killing of pastor in Delta

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Police investigate killing of pastor in Delta

By: Zagazola Makama

The Police Command in Delta has commenced investigation into the gruesome murder of Pastor Oputeh Monday, aged 59, who was killed by unknown assailants in Umuebu community, Ukwuani Local Government Area of the state.

Sources said that the case was reported by the deceased’s son, Oputeh Joshua, aged 26, who told police that his father had left home early for his farm along Amai/Umuebu farm road and instructed them to meet him later with a motorcycle.

“On their way, they heard gunshots and rushed into the bush where they discovered the lifeless body of their father lying on the ground with his head chopped off.

“Detectives from Obiaruku Division visited the scene of the crime and evacuated the corpse to Medisar Mortuary, Obiaruku, for preservation and autopsy,” the sources said.

The sources that preliminary investigation had commenced, while confidence-building patrols were ongoing in the affected area.

Police investigate killing of pastor in Delta

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