Former Member of the House of Representatives, Shina Peller, has called for the regulated legalisation of Cannabis and other controlled substances in Nigeria, citing potential economic and social benefits.
Peller spoke on February 14 during TVC’s TownSquare series themed, “War Against Drug Abuse: Taking control of today, protecting the future,” where he emphasised that legalisation must be accompanied by strict regulations to prevent misuse and societal disruption.
“Looking at our country Nigeria, if Cannabis is going to be legalised in Nigeria then it is going to be regulated. In other countries where it is legalised, there are regulations as to how and where you can get it and the quantity you can get,” Peller said.
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He noted that Nigeria’s unique social and regulatory context requires careful planning before any legalisation can be implemented.
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“Nigeria is a kind of country that if you legalise it without regulations, you’ll cause confusion. When we don’t have the right structure to manage the use of it, we can’t be talking about legalising it,” he explained.
Peller also highlighted the economic potential of a regulated Cannabis industry, suggesting that it could become a significant source of revenue for the country.
“But looking at how much revenue can be generated as one of the resources, then definitely you have to talk about regulations. Because regulations will make us establish the aim of definitely legalising it if it has to,” he added.
