THE National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned Nigerians that some herbal drugs designed to enhance sexual performance are laced with cannabis and other harmful chemicals.
NAFDAC Director General Mojisola Adeyeye gave the warning while briefing journalists at the Agency’s headquarters in Abuja on Friday.
Adeyeye said clinical evaluations of the drugs show that most of them contained Indian hemp and dangerous chemicals that could be harmful to the body and cause damage to the brain.
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“Out of the above, only Haonu laha herbal mixture is registered, but nonetheless laced with unapproved substances that are injurious to the body,” he said.
“Among many others, Kurkura is an illicit product illegally consumed for the sole aim of getting intoxicated.
“The substance when used can be harmful to the body organs such as the brain, kidney and liver. The damage to the kidney and liver cannot be overemphasized.
“This substance can cause irrational thinking, altered state of mind, which if taken by drivers can lead to road traffic accidents with attendant fatality consequences.
“This could also lead to criminal behaviours such as rape, kidnapping and murder.”
While stating that NAFDAC has begun a nationwide crackdown on the producers of unapproved drugs, she added that the agency would prosecute those that have been arrested.
According to her the categories of people that consume these drugs include artisans, drivers, commercial motorcycle drivers and others.
Adeyeye said the agency recently impounded some dangerous herbal aphrodisiacs in Zaria, Kaduna State.
She listed the products as Gagare manpower, minister for manpower, Almenjou for lazy men in bed, Nisan zango karfin maza, Shagalin ka manpower, Dakan jiya manpower enhancement, Wuff male sexual performance and Afafata.
Adeyeye said NAFDAC had shut down the companies producing the products and will continue with the raids.
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