A menace has slammed itself into the atmosphere of Nigeria. It is one of the most threatening monstrous plagues in our civic space right now. It has drained life from thousands of vibrant youths in eastern Nigeria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Early September, I saw a picture of a substance on social media, the substance looked more like bits of ice to me, but I didn\u2019t take serious note of it until recently when a video showing demented young men in total stupor after consuming this \u201cglassy\u201d substance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What was this substance? In eastern Nigeria, it is called  Mkpuru mmiri, the Igbo language connotation of shining glass. In actuality, this substance is called Crystal Methamphetamine, a highly addictive drug that affects the central nervous system. It is also commonly called Crystal meth. Sources reveal that there is no legal use for this drug. It comes in clear crystal pieces or shiny blue-white rocks. It is called \u201cice\u201d as well. It is this look that gave it the Igbo name, \u2018Mkpuru mmiri\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is a man-made stimulant that has been around for years now. During World War II, soldiers were given Crystal meth to keep them awake to be confident enough to fight. The effects of this substance are not exact, as different users have distinct episodes concerning the substance. There is no uniformity of effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the users elucidated that the drug gives a lot of energy to carry out activities he couldn\u2019t carry out in absence of the drug, he said he could walk from a very long distance without feeling exhausted, to be precise, a walk of about 6 kilometers. It is now clear that users feel confident and energetic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another user expressed that this drug provokes a lot of pleasure and he wouldn\u2019t want to feel anything without being under the influence of this drug. Plainly, this is an addictive drug, as users get hooked right from the first trial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to research by drugfreeworld.org<\/a>, Crystal meth burns up the body\u2019s resources, creating a devastating dependence that can only be relieved by taking more of the drug. Consequently, it is one of the hardest drug addictions to treat and many die under its grip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a terrifying cognizance and the substance needs to be investigated by relevant authorities such as the NDLEA( National Drug Law Enforcement Agency) and the NAFDAC( National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Albeit the main source of the substance is yet to be confirmed, some have postulated that Crystal meth came in from the northern part of the country while many young people in the east embraced it in their thousands, others feel it was imported into the country through the southeastern border.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Irrespective of the source of the substance, there is an urgent necessity to stop the use of this drug, as the future of the country\u2019s working population, especially in the south-east would depend on such effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In less than one year of crystal meth, the southeastern part of Nigeria has lost thousands of vibrant young men to this drug.Gladly, many prominent individuals of Igbo extraction, politicians, celebrities, and community heads, have expressed worries over the effects of this substance and are using their positions to fight this devastation awaiting a generation of Nigerians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are there solutions to this fast-growing problem? The punishment allotted to the users and addicts in most eastern societies is somewhat unnecessary and vile. There are more civil ways to handle specific situations, addiction isn\u2019t an issue that goes away by the use of force, rather it is an issue of mental health, and should be treated as such.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, in Nigeria, we don\u2019t have the basic mental health facilities to handle matters like these.Studies by the American addiction center have shown that using Crystal meth can result in dependence and addiction, and can be harmful to the body and mind over time. It creates changes in the brain that can endure for long periods and most times, they are only partially reversible. With that being explained, Can vile punishments reverse long-term effects? A lot of education would be needed in this area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Considering that we are truly concerned about our youths, it\u2019s understandable to panic and wants to jump to any kind of help right away but we must also establish that dealing with substance use isn\u2019t so straightforward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have seen the lawmaker representing Ideato North in the Imo State House of Assembly, Hon. Innocent Egwim, voice his anxiety that if nothing is done to checkmate this unfortunate direction and get the youths of the state to say no to the consumption of \u2018Mkpuru mmiri\u2019 and other such drugs, the future of the state would be precarious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lawmaker opined that the consumption of Mkpuru mmiri has rendered some of \u201cour youths useless by making them mad and sending some to their early graves as its consumption is often associated with health hazards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crystal meth use can also lead to mood swings and behavioral changes, therefore, the first help should come from the family or home of any suspected user. After noticing some symptoms associated with its use, family members must work towards terminating the use of the substance and this should be done gradually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Secondly, communication is crucial, having a conversation with the addict would make a big difference in the outcome. We tell them how much we care about them and point out our observations with a stance on support and not condemnation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Basically, listening to them as well is very vital, they might even be open-minded enough to explain why they started using it in the first place, we all know there\u2019s usually a motive behind drug use and abuse. This would give us more insight into how we can best help them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, there is nothing as thoughtful as encouragement, reminding the youths of their strengths, achievements and the people who care about them can help them feel more motivated to keep working towards an early recovery.The best solution to a mental health problem is compassionate support and collective responsibility.This is a time to join forces to fight this menace as swiftly as possible, no matter the differences, we all have a common enemy called mkpuru mmiri (Crystal meth). If this substance is left unchecked, it will spread to other parts of the country. If the spread continues, we would realize that the current influence of tramadol, cocaine, and heroin would be a child\u2019s play.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A menace has slammed itself into the atmosphere of Nigeria. It is one of the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":76,"featured_media":18141,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[335,664],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18143","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economy","category-features"],"yoast_head":"\n