Former Nigerian leader Obasanjo urges West African govts to decriminalise drugs

The recommendations by Obasanjo's West Africa Commission on Drugs come as a number of countries look to decriminalise drug use
Reuters (UK)
Tuesday, September 11, 2018

obasanjoWest African governments should overhaul their drug laws to decriminalise personal use and prioritise treatment as a response to rising substance abuse in the region, former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo of the West Africa Commission on Drugs said. In an interview before he was due to present a model drug law to regional officials in Senegal, Obasanjo urged authorities to channel resources into fighting large-scale trafficking, which he said was undermining regional democracy. Obasanjo named Senegal and Ghana as two countries that are moving to expand treatment options. Senegal has since 2014 opened centres to treat addicts, while Ghana is considering a proposal to exempt first-time offenders from prison terms.