The word “poison” may evoke thoughts
of murder and mayhem, but for centuries, healers and scientists have harnessed
the power of natural poisons, toxins, and venoms, as medicine.
Unfortunately, the irrational use of
drugs among Nigerians leaves much to be desired. Today, self medication is the
order of the day and abuse of prescription drugs is commonplace. Individuals
have become self doctors, nurses and pharmacists but experts say taking drugs
without proper prescription could be harmful to health as all medicines are
potential poisons.
Drugs taken without prescription is
like taking poison.This means that any medicine that has an effect also has
side effect and the poison is in the dose.
The Centres for Diseases Control and
Prevention, CDC, defines medicines as compositions used to treat infectious
diseases, manage symptoms of chronic diseases, and to help relieve pain and
suffering.
Medicines are generally safe when
used as prescribed or as their labeling describes. There are, however, risks in
taking any medicine.
Each year, adverse drug
events—injury resulting from the use of medication—result in over hundreds of
thousands of visits to hospital emergency departments. But most adverse drug
events are preventable.Patients and caregivers can help reduce the risk of harm
from medicines by learning about medication safety.
A former Chairman, Lagos State
Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, ACPN, Pharm. Aminu Yinka
Abdusalam, says the abuse of drugs such as antibiotics, creates problems for
the user and jeopardises the future use of such antibiotics..
“When drugs are abused or misused,
the end does not augur well. When antibiotics are misused, organisms causing
the problem develop resistance and subsequently reduces effectiveness of the
drugs.
“Every medicine is a potential poison
if not administered properly. Due to wrong administration of medicines, many
Nigerians are coming down with life threatening illnesses including kidney
problems and heart related diseases.”she said.
Abdusalam noted that abuse of
preparations such as codeine in large quantities, could trigger addiction. He
said because medicines containing codeine are commonly available, people can
easily get the effect of codeine they want, a development that does not augur
well for public health.
He said drug abusers are at risk of
contracting HIV while lamenting that misuse of drugs does not portend a good
future for treatment of some illness. For instance, malaria medicines that were
once effective have become ineffective.
Overdose: “Many people die from
painkiller overdose. In fact, more people overdose from painkillers every year
than from heroin and cocaine combined.
Some categories of medicine must be
prescribed by medical personnel and some of these medicines are addictive
because you will develop compulsive tendency to continuously use the medicine.
When you use these medicines you may
be temporarily high. Drug addiction contributes to crimes When there are so
many people abusing these medicines then we are not safe in our communities and
that is what we are seeing today.
He explained that issue of self
medication should be closely examined to ensure the public is better informed,
urging the community pharmacists to intensify public education about the merits
and demerits of drug use.
Ă‹nforcement: In his argument, Abdusalam
called for enforcement of existing laws guiding safe use of medicines in the
country and protect the safety and welfare of at-risk groups including pregnant
women, children and the elderly.
“Government should play its part to
ensure regulations are enforced. The laws are there comprehensively without
ambiguity. We only need political will to put these things in check.
“The drug distribution chain is
chaotic because medicines are being sold where they should not be sold, and by
people who are not trained to sell medicines” she stated..
VIA : VANGUARDNG
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