Methamphetamine (Mkpulummiri) use in eastern Nigeria: A new addition to drug users’ repertoire

Abstract

Media reports indicate that methamphetamine (mkpulummiri) use is growing among young people in Eastern Nigeria, but empirical research has not been conducted. This article reviews the recent media reportage of methamphetamine use in Eastern Nigeria, presents an empirical account of a methamphetamine user, and synthesizes the available evidence, showing the factors facilitating its use. Available evidence shows that drug trafficking and illegal laboratories are the two main factors encouraging current methamphetamine availability and use in Eastern Nigeria. The NDLEA has discovered illegal laboratories where methamphetamine is produced in Enugu and Asaba. These laboratories were established by drug barons from Eastern Nigeria and their foreign counterparts. Therefore, it is logical to conclude that these local laboratories have largely contributed to the growing methamphetamine epidemic. Media reports indicate that youth organizations and vigilante groups apply corporal punishment by flogging identified users in public but do not highlight how effective this sanction is. While empirical data show that weight control motivates methamphetamine use, the grey literature has blamed youth unemployment. There is an urgent need to conduct empirical research to determine methamphetamine prevalence, the sources, motivations for use, and consequences in Eastern Nigeria. This will facilitate the design of effective interventions to reduce the growing trend. Efforts to discover and dismantle illegal laboratories should not only focus on cities because laboratories set up to evade detection may exist in rural settings. It is vital that the government work with all stakeholders to increase public awareness of the dangers of methamphetamine use in Nigeria and develop mechanisms to support addiction treatment and rehabilitation to prevent social stigma users may face.