Shehu Sani, the Senator representing Kaduna Central has said that the state of hopelessness in the economy is responsible for the abuse of codeine by Nigerians.

The lawmaker said this in reaction to an investigatory video by BBC recorded in Nigeria showing abuse of codeine by youths and its consequences.

Titope Blog reports that the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, on Tuesday directed the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, to ban with immediate effect further issuance of permits for the importation of codeine as active pharmaceutical ingredient for cough preparations.

Adewole said the directive became necessary due to the gross abuse of Codeine usage in the country.

However, reacting through his Twitter handle, Shehu Sani said creation of a stabilised economy and system to give hope to the youths will hinder them from finding solace in Codeine.

He urged the federal government to promote the economy, hence, give meaning to their lives.

Sani wrote, “Codeine is an opium that symbolizes our social dislocation and societal collapse.What we have is a system that has over the years ostracized and mentally deformed a generation, dispatching them to seek solace in aphrodisiac .

“Codeine is a problem and the bigger problem remains a corrosive socio economic order that created a state of hopelessness.We must continue to work hard in order to change it so as to give meaning to the lives of our young ones.”