Emzor's action to suspend the production of the drug is coming after one of its sales reps was caught on camera selling codeine illegally.
Emzor pharmaceutical company said it has suspended the production of the extremely addictive drug, codeine cough syrup, which is sending many Nigerian youths to their early graves as well as causing the recent hike of young people in rehabilitation centres and psychiatric homes across the country.
Codeine is an opiate, classified as a narcotic substance, which is largely used as a pain reliever and cough suppressant. Even though it is not an illegal drug, codeine, which comes in tablet and syrup form, has been largely abused for years by youths in the country.
Emzor's action to suspend the production of the drug is coming after one of its sales reps was caught on camera in a BBC Pidgin undercover report, boasting about how he supplies millions of the codeine syrup to individuals daily.
The company said the sales rep in question has been fired as his conduct are illegal and against Emzor's policy.
In a statement released by Emzor on Monday, April 30, 2018, the company said it has launched a full-scale internal investigation into the breach of the codeine distribution.
