TheCable

The United Nations (UN) has asked the federal government to relax its “stringent laws” against the use of marijuana.

Harsheth Kaur Virk, project officer of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Nigeria, gave the advice while speaking during a public hearing at the senate on Monday.

The hearing was organised by the senate’s joint committees on drugs and narcotics and health.

Virk said laws restricting the use of marijuana should be relaxed so that it can be prescribed to Nigerians.

She said those who are addicted to the drug need treatment and rehabilitation.

“Nigeria, as a sovereign nation, has its stringent laws against it; but international conventions of the UN have approved it for medical purposes, based on the outcome of researches conducted to that effect by globally recognised institutes,” the UN official.

“The Drugs and Crime Office of the UN sees addictive drug users as people who are sick, in need of treatment, care and rehabilitation.”

She said the UN is against drug trafficking and asked the security agencies to be proactive in their anti-drug trafficking campaign.