EFFECT OF DRUG ABUSE ON NIGERIA YOUTHS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Drugs are commonly used by everybody whether young or old. Drugs are not only useful for human beings; they are also useful for animals for good health. Human
beings give drugs to their animals when they discovered that they are not healthy. Drug is an effective substance in the life of any living thing to cure sickness and to make life healthy. It is true that drugs are used for beneficent therapeutic purposes, effective substance for good health, but they are being abused by people especially youths. They use it illegally and unlawfully, thus it becomes harmful to the body.
Drug abuse is the Use of drugs for purposes other than medical reasons, thus affecting the individual in a negative
way socially, cognitively or physically Kuria (1996). Social effects may be reflected in an individual’s enhanced
tendency to engage in conflicts with friends, teachers, and school authorities. Cognitive effects relate to the
individual’s lack of concentration on academic work and memory loss. While Lewinsohn (2007) defines a drug as any product other than food or water that affects the way people feel, think, see, and behave. It is a substance that due to
its chemical nature affects physical, mental and emotional functioning. It can enter the body through chewing,
inhaling, smoking, drinking, rubbing on the skin or injection.
Drug abuse amongst the global youth population has become a serious problem affecting everyone. Addiction leads
many people, young people prominent amongst them, into downward spiral of hopelessness that in some cases ends
fatal. They range from glue- sniffing street children and teenage ecstasy users, to hard core heroin and cocaine
addicts (Nacada, 2005). Drug abuse is responsible for lost wages, destruction of property in schools, soaring health
care costs and broken families. It is a problem which affects us all as parents, children, teachers, government
officials, taxpayers and workers.
The African seminar on problems of drug dependence held in Lagos, Nigeria declared that “Drug abuse and
dependence producing substances are widely prevalent in African countries have continue to increase. These
problems affect the individual, the family and the society in general. Substance abuse, which was originally conceived
as the problem of a selected few is today becoming a problem of a sizeable proportion of the world population. The
problem is so grave that it has extended beyond the usual characteristic profile of abusers being male, adult, and
urban-based to now include females, youngsters and those who live in rural areas. Its economic effect is so
devastating that it is estimated that the annual retail cost of psychotropic substances by prescription is over two billion
naira while the alcoholic industry which produces over five billion gallons of alcoholic beverages annually generate
more than four billion naira from sales to a consumer population of about 30-35 million people (Folawiyo, 2008). Illicit
Drug traffic known to generate huge profit and fortune and that is one reason why it has been very difficult to combat
the drug traffic in spite of several laws that have been promulgated. For instance, it has been estimated that the sum
of $400 billion is the turn over of illicit drug industry, which is equivalent of approximately 8% of total international
trade and therefore larger than the trade in iron steel, motor vehicle, textile, tourism (Innerarity, 1999) Drug abuse and
other associated problems constitute a major threat to the survival and effective functioning of human societies, lives
are lost daily through addiction and activities of addicts. A significant number of deaths from accidents and violent
crimes have been traced to the activities of persons under the influence of drugs (Falope, 1991). Treatment facilities
nation wide are now gradually being over burden with drug-related problems and cases (Odejide, A.O., Ohaeri, J.U.,
Ogunleye, D.A., Ajuwon, A and Ige A. 1990). The need to prevent drug abuse among the Nigerian youths which are
the growing generation of Nigeria thus becomes imperative.
The use of drugs by the old and young is growing on a daily bases in Nigeria. Drugs could mean those vital
substances in the life of all living organism to prevent ailment, relief pain and to promote a healthy life.
But these drugs that are meant to save lives are usually turning around to destroy them because of abuse. This is
usually found among youths. The use of these drugs illegally and unlawfully has its consequences. Drug abuse has
brought so much shame on the face of families, societies and Nigeria as a whole.
According to the statistical data made available by the world heath organisation (WHO, drugs such as alcohol,
tobacco and cocaine is the root cause of road accident which have claimed lives and the high rate of sickness
suffered by our societies today. The issue of drug abuse has now become the main topic of discussion in our
Message us societies today. Drug abuse does not only destroy the affected person or individual but also have a negative effect on
those that are connected to the individual (relatives, friends etc.). According to Barry 1984 he stated that in a country,
drug abuse and alcohol has significant effect on serious crimes and also contributes hugely to fatalities.
According to Boris (1974) stated that drug abuse plays a significant role in everyday interpersonal affaires although
there is no data shown, but many youths in Nigeria are also user of drugs, however, there are many other users of
such drug that is beyond moderate level to them, drug abuse constitute a vey solving problem and this condition
appears to be based on an underlined psychological abnormality. Drug abuse seriously affect the individuals health
and social function, it also hurt the users family, friends and colleagues and society as whole. It is to this regard that the researcher wishes to take surulere local government area of Lagos state as the case study of the research work.
EFFECT OF DRUG ABUSE ON NIGERIA YOUTHS