ALTERNATIVE ALCOHOL OR NON-COMMERCIAL ALCOHOL USE AMONG TRAILER AND TANKER DRIVERS

Alcohol and Trucking12

In Nigeria, it is not uncommon to find non-commercial alcohol being sold in or around the motor parks. They are sold as herbal concoctions against malaria or low back aches popularly referred to as ‘jedi-jedi’. Often the buyers are unaware of the components of such herbal drugs especially the alcohol content.

There have been several studies on prevalence, pattern and psychosocial correlates of alcohol and other psychoactive substance use among various groups and subgroups in Nigeria including long distance vehicle and trailer-tanker drivers.

Many studies have shown that a significant number of truck drivers take concoctions, although many would feign ignorance that they do not know if the concoctions contain alcohol. A rough estimate puts it at 8 in 10 truck drivers that drink concoctions and drive! Meanwhile many of them still take commercial alcohol concurrently. The most commonly used non-commercial alcohol or concoctions include Agbo-jedi, paraga, agbo-iba and opa-eyin. The concoctions are usually made from roots immerged in alcohol.

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