NAFDAC begins clampdown on producers, sellers of herbal drinks mixed with cocaine, others

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has commenced a nationwide clampdown on all manufacturers and distributors of herbal preparations with high concentrations of tobacco, cocaine and cannabis.

Director General of NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye said this on Friday, disclosing that its findings had showed a dangerous trend in the use of such substances among Nigerians of all genders and age groups, particularly, artisans, drivers and okada riders.

She spoke at a briefing on the illicit use of herbal intoxicant popularly known as Kurkura Gargle, Herbal Aphrodisiac, and Alcoholic Bitters in the country.

Adeyeye said Kurkura and other herbal preparations including aphrodisiac laced with cannabis, Japata alcoholic bitters laced with marijuana and cannabis combined had been linked to damaging health consequences and causing untimely death.

She explained that these substances are abused they can be harmful to body organs such as the brain, kidney and liver and the damage to the kidney and liver cannot be overemphasised.

“Although consumers take these the herbal preparation to get intoxicated, Adeyeye said, “These substances can cause irrational thinking, altered state of mind, which if taken by a driver can lead to a road traffic accident with the attendant fatality consequences, or can lead to criminal behaviours such as rape, kidnapping and murder.

She said, “In our recent operations, we impounded the following dangerous herbal aphrodisiac at some Islamic herbal medicine shops in Zaria, Kaduna State: Gagare Man Power, Minister For Man Power, lmenjou For Lazy Men in Bed, Nisan Zango Karfin Maza, Shagalin Ka Man Power, Dakan Jia Man Power enhancement, Wuff Male Sexual Performance and Afafata For Sexual Drive, etc.”

One of the illegal factories involved in the production of such unauthorised products has been shut down and the owner was arrested, Adeyeye said.

She disclosed that the owner admitted that he dissolves the Hyergra 200, Cannon Extra and the Amafranil in a drum and mixes the content with boiled kanafari, garlic, dundu, marke, hankufa, sweeteners and sodium benzoate to make the manpower preparation. “Yet the label on the preparation read 100 per cent herbal preparations,” she lamented.

She said NAFDAC swung into action and carried out intelligence and enforcement action. “We have commenced a nationwide crackdown of all illegal manufacturers and distributors of these herbal preparations with a view to bringing perpetrators to book and minimise the usage of the substance,” she said.