Ban on codeine will only help drug dealers make more money - Seun Kuti

Seun Kuti, son of late Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, said the recently announced ban imposed on the importation of codeine, an addictive ingredient in cough syrup, by the Nigerian government will not be effective.

 Seun Kuti, who is also a notable Afrobeat musician said this via his twitter handle while reacting to the ban on the production of codeine containing syrups in Nigeria.

He said the ban would not be effective and will only help drug dealers to make more money.

He tweeted, “Igbo (marijuana) has been banned since forever (unjustly) but e still dey everywhere. The reactionary ban of Codeine by the FG only means drug dealers will make more money from it. It can’t affect supply. #Bigpharma”.

The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, had ordered the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to place a ban on the further issuance of permits for the importation of codeine for cough syrup preparations and other uses.