You dare not go back home if you legalise cannabis, Marwa warns NASS members

Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Gen. Buba Marwa on Friday has issued a strong warning to members of the National Assembly that support any bill promoting the legalization of cannabis in Nigeria.

The NDLEA boss sounded the warning while speaking to State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

According to him, “We can never support legalization and I don’t see how the National Assembly would pass the act because I know 90 per cent or more of the Honorable and Distinguished members of the National Assembly know the implications of this legalization.

“They dare not go back to their constituencies if anyone signs legalization because we’re seeing the implication on the ground”.

He also noted that “the World Health Organisation (WHO) itself has declared cannabis affects the brain, alters brain function. It destabilizes, affects behaviour. It also affects body organs, and at some point, it can lead to death”.

Marwa however alleged that those who want to legalize cannabis want to do it for their financial gains.

“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, 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, that is something we need.

“The youths, the families are being destroyed because of cannabis and drugs. It wouldn’t be legalized by the grace of God”.