…Agency cites public health, addiction risks at Nigerian Academy of Science workshop
By Kingsley Omonobi
ABUJA — The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd), has clarified the agency’s position on cannabis oil, stating that while the NDLEA supports regulated export for economic gain, it firmly opposes local consumption within Nigeria.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ workshop themed “Cannabis Oil Debate: The Path Forward for Nigeria,” organized by the Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS) in Abuja on Wednesday, Marwa said the NDLEA welcomes scientific dialogue on the issue but insists that public health and safety must guide policy decisions.
“At NDLEA, our position on cannabis oil is simple: we welcome dialogue,” Marwa said. “Nigeria must make informed choices, not ones driven by half-truths, commercial interests, or global trends. While cannabis oil may have medicinal potential, it also carries risks of misuse and public safety implications.”
Marwa explained that the agency would not oppose the controlled export of cannabis oil to countries where it is legally permitted, provided the process is tightly regulated and confined to export-free zones under NDLEA supervision. However, he maintained that allowing local use could worsen Nigeria’s already high rates of substance abuse.
“For a country with a 14.4 percent substance abuse prevalence rate — nearly triple the global average — and over 10.6 million cannabis users, the risks cannot be ignored,” he said. “Cannabis and its extracts can trigger mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and psychosis, especially among young people.”
Marwa added that the NDLEA had commissioned a study with the Nigerian Academy of Science to examine cannabis oil’s potential benefits and risks. “This conversation is crucial,” he said. “We must rely on evidence and science, not sentiment or profit motives.”
He also highlighted the agency’s ongoing Alternative Development Project, introduced in 2023, which aims to reduce the cultivation of illicit crops by addressing poverty, hunger, and unemployment — factors that often drive people into drug-related economies.
“The project seeks to provide skills acquisition, empowerment, and sustainable livelihoods to discourage illicit cultivation,” Marwa explained.
Earlier, NAS President Prof. Abubakar Sambo, represented by Vice President Prof. Friday Okonofua, said the workshop was designed to achieve an evidence-based national consensus on cannabis oil. “At the end of the day, we aim to provide guidance that reflects scientific evidence and national interest,” he said.
Chairman of the NAS study committee on cannabis oil, Prof. Musbau Akanbi, commended the NDLEA for engaging scientists in the policy process. He noted that the committee had reviewed global literature and convened experts to inform Nigeria’s regulatory direction.
Ondo State Governor, represented by Dr. Samuel Adekola, said the conversation presents an opportunity for Nigeria to move “from debate to design, from potential to policies,” while Prof. Oye Gureje of the University of Ibadan noted that “cannabis may have limited medical use, but widespread recreational access poses serious risks to public health.”
The workshop brought together scientists, policymakers, and stakeholders to chart a balanced path forward on the cannabis oil debate, emphasizing caution, evidence, and national well-being.
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