NDLEA Boss Proposes Drug Tests for Stable Marriage

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mr Mohamed Buba Marwa, has said to have a stable marriage, a premarital drug test should be conducted.

According to a statement by the agency’s spokesman, Mr Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA boss said this at a conference organized by an NGO, Coal to Diamond Support Network, for young adults on Saturday in Abuja.

He said, “if would-be couples choose to undergo HIV and genotype tests before marriage without any law compelling them, then, they should equally consider drug tests as critical to their well-being and stability of their home”.

While warning on the dire consequences of drug abuse, Mr Marwa, who was represented by a Principal Staff Officer on Drug Demand Reduction in the NDLEA, Shehu Dankolo, said substance use does not only destroy marriages but equally leads to health problems, morbidity, injuries, violence, and death.

He added that most often, the physical, psychological and social consequences of drug use are very obvious and disturbing.

According to him, the mental, physical and spiritual quality of life of individuals has a definite impact on a society’s future.

In her remarks, the wife of the NDLEA boss, Mrs Munirat Marwa, who was the host of the event, urged youths preparing for weddings to take a drug test as part of their preparations, adding that there is a difference between wedding and marriage.

“The wedding as we all know it is a short time event while marriage is intended for a lifetime,” she said.

“As such, the conference has come at the right time when couples are putting more importance and emphasis on the wedding festivities rather than the marriage itself.

“It is therefore important we pay attention to preparing for the marriage and one of such ways is through premarital counselling and drug test. This prepares the couples very well and has the ability to reduce domestic violence, divorce as well as increase happiness and longevity in marriages,” the former First Lady of Lagos State said.