Re: https://www.hifa.org/dgroups-rss/opioid-drugs-8-q2-what-current-state-op...
Dear Remi and all,
Thank you for your description of youths in urban Nigeria becoming addicted and devastated by smoking 'colos', which is 'frequently misidentified as a form of marijuana but is actually a dangerous mixture of illegal drugs, chemical compounds, and synthetic cannabinoids designed to mimic and far exceed the effects of cannabis'.
It seems that 'colos' is a name that is applied to a diversity of drugs and drug mixtures that are taken by young people.
I was unable to locate any academic papers on the subuject, but this article in The Guardian Nigeria is helpful
https://guardian.ng/news/drug-abuse-real-is-the-impact-of-colos-other-il...
'The unbridled intake of illicit substances without considering the long term effects on their lives has become the pastime for many Nigerian youths. In this report, ONYEDIKA AGBEDO writes on the consequences of indulging in such substances, the way out for those already hooked into them and how to avoid leading a life of drug addiction...'
Remi, you mention that the slang "On Colos" has become prevalent in Nigerian music and social media, glamorizing its usage despite its destructive nature. For me as a child of the seventies this reminds me of JJ Cale's hit 'Cocaine', and I am sure there are many other examples.
For adolescents, use of illicit drugs is indeed driven by culture, group identity and rebellion. How many adolescents are fully aware of the risks of using drugs? Can we learn from their majority peers who are not drawn into using drugs or who deliberately avoid them?
Can you or others say more about the work of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Nigeria and/or civil society organisations in Nigeria?
What can we say about the social determinants of colos use?
Best wishes, Neil
HIFA profile: Neil Pakenham-Walsh is coordinator of HIFA (Healthcare Information For All), a global health community that brings all stakeholders together around the shared goal of universal access to reliable healthcare information. HIFA has 20,000 members in 180 countries, interacting in four languages and representing all parts of the global evidence ecosystem. HIFA is administered by Global Healthcare Information Network, a UK-based nonprofit in official relations with the World Health Organization. Email: neil@hifa.org