ABSTRACT
This study investigated the relationship between drug Abuse and students’ academic performance in social studies in Yakurr Local Government Area, Cross River State. To achieve the specific purposes of the study, four research questions and four null hypotheses were formulated. Relevant literature was reviewed from various sources in line with the variables of the study. Correlational-survey research design was adopted. The population consisted all the students in some selected junior secondary schools. A sample of 200 students were selected and used for the study. Two instruments such as students’ Drug Abuse Rating Scale (SDARS) and Social Studies Performance Test (SSPT) were constructed by the researcher for data collection. The instruments were validated by three experts and a reliability index of 0.85 was established using test-retest method. Simple percentage was used to analyse the demographic data of respondents. Pearson Product Moment Correlation Co-efficient was used to test hypothesis one, three and four while hypothesis two was tested using independent t-test statistics. Each of the hypotheses was conducted at .05 level of significance and the results showed that there is a significant positive relationship between smoking, alcohol consumption, various substances abused by students and their academic performance in social studies. Also, the result revealed that male students abused drugs more than female students and as such, their academic performance in social studies are worst than that of female counter parts. Based on findings of the study, it was recommended among others that seminars and programmes should be organized on Radio, television and other media houses to educate school children on the dangers of drug abuse to their health and academic performance.