A Lawmaker representing Owode Onire state constituency in the Kwara State House of Assembly, Rukayat Shittu, has called out music stars, celebrities, skit makers, organisers of the Big Brother Naija reality TV show and other influencers of glamourizing drug abuse to mislead teenage minds into a lifestyle they are not equipped to live.
This was contained in her proposal titled: ‘REGULATORY PROPOSAL AGAINST EXPOSURE OF DRUGS PROMOTING CONTENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, MUSIC VIDEOS, SKITS, MOVIES AND OTHER MEDIA CONTENT’ in which she sought the backing of the Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).
According to her, the proposal seeks to limit exposure to drug abuse related content on media space, especially on social media, music videos, skits and movies.
Shittu explained that the proposal to regulate and criminalize publication and exposure of drug abuse-promoting content on media became necessary due to the increasing use of both mainstream and social media by by music stars, celebrities, influencers to consciously or unconsciously influence young people into drugs, and by extension, drug abuse.
She cited several instances of how entertainers have made it a culture to display drug-related clips on their various social media platforms and music videos, which makes efforts against drug abuse almost futile.
“Other artists, including Portable, Rema, Davido, Kizz Daniel, etc. have made it a culture to display drug-related clips on their various social media platforms and music videos, which makes efforts against drug abuse almost impossible to progress in the manner desired, owing to the fact that most of the young people in the country follow these artists and celebrities on social media and seek to replicate their lifestyles.
“Big Brother Naija and other entertainment content producers have also made it a culture to promote drug abuse-related content in their various reality shows and other media content,” she wrote.
Continuing, she argued that in a world where entertainers are the driving force of continuous exposure to drug abuse-related lifestyle and content largely in the media and social media, there is the possibility of conflicting messages about drug abuse as well as leaving the space unregulated.
“It is on this basis, that I propose the introduction of regulations, not only to ban the display of drug abuse-promoting content on social media, music videos, movies, skit, reality shows and others, but to also prescribe punishment, which may be criminal in nature to create deterrence.
“It should be noted that individuals could live their lives as they deem fit in their private capacity, but giving media exposure to drug abuse related content, which directly undermines government efforts to eradicate or reduce drug abuse to its bearest minimal should be seen as a grave offense to the nation,” she concluded.
