Banning alcohol and cigarettes at motor parks would increase the number of suicides, Nigerians warn

A cross section of smokers in Nigeria said they are more concerned about the quality of life they live and are less worried about living more years. This according to them is why they keep smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages despite the strong warnings that such lifestyles could put their lives at great risk.

Sulaimon Oladokun, a commercial motorcycle rider in Ibadan, Nigeria told HealthNewsNG.com he has a lot to worry about in his life. But anytime he drinks alcohol, he is able to set aside his worries.

"My brother, what is the essence of living very long when you are not happy?” he asked. “Whenever I drink my Regal Dry Gin, I get high and for that moment I am happy. If it will remove 5 years from my life, so be it. As long as I get some happiness, I am satisfied.”

Chinedu is from the south east region of Nigeria. He said he once preached against smoking and alcohol consumption. But when he couldn't get a good job and had to contend with pressures from all sides daily, a friend recommended alcohol and cigarettes.

"What many don't know is that cigarettes and alcohol are the only affordable options for a poor Nigerian under stress apart from God. If you don't have money, you live in a hostile community and things are not working well, you have two last resorts – commit suicide or suppress the pressure with alcohol.

"Look at me; I'm a graduate but no job. I had to come to the south west where I am now an Okada man in order to make ends meet. There are many Okada riders with worse stories. When I see them smoking, I don't tell them to stop because of my personal experience," he said.

However, the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has identified excessive alcohol intake as a major cause of road accidents in Nigeria and has outlawed drinking and driving.

Experts however believe the central roles that smoking and drinking are playing in the lives of transport workers in Nigeria will make it almost impossible for the commission or government to really implement such ban policy.

"As petrol is to the car, so is alcohol to the transport workers. Do you think it is a mere coincidence that there are more sellers of cigarettes, hemp, local gins and cheap alcoholic beverages at our motor parks than elsewhere? Transport workers cannot function properly without them. Banning them would significantly increase the rate of suicides in Nigeria," Chinedu said.

Manufacturers of alcoholic beverages are aware of the strong bond that exists between transport workers in Nigeria and cheap alcoholic beverages. This has led to the emergence of several brands that attract buyers to the small sachets of drinks at rock bottom prices as low as NGN20.

Brands like Sabrina and Regal are making millions daily from purchases in what experts believe is a smart business move.

The medical implications of the ubiquitous nature of cheap alcoholic drinks will however increase the number of alcoholics and could raise the incidence of many medical conditions. Liver disorders positively correlate with alcohol intake; while smoking could also significantly increase an individual's risk of developing lung cancer.

But the popular notion among Nigerian smokers and drinkers is that everything in life has associated risks. They believe more emphasis should be placed on enjoying life and not just prolonging it.

Chinedu and others who believe they didn't commit suicide because of cigarettes and alcohol ask question that efforts aimed at tackling cigarette smoking and alcohol abuse need to provide answers in order to win the war against nicotine and alcohol. 

They prove what we already know that sticks and shots are not entirely a medico-social issue; they represent the nexus of a constellation of problems in the society that cannot be solved with bans.