By Taye Obateru

Jos — The Plateau State Government is worried about the increasing number of youths abusing drugs in the state which has risen to an alarming rate in recent times.

State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Barnabas Mandong, said yesterday, at a briefing to mark this year’s International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking that over 500 youths were arrested for drug related offences within a short period.

He said the arrests represented the highest made in the state in recent times, lamenting that a lot of the youths were involved in the consumption of illicit substances like cocaine, marijuana and a local mixture called goskolo.

He explained that 300 of those arrested had been treated, rehabilitated and offered jobs with the social works department of the state while a sensitisation of youths had commenced.

Mandong said the sensitisation had been taken to over 15 secondary schools where seminars and workshops on drug abuse were held.