Drug Abuse among Nigerian Youths: Causes, Effects and Preventions
Drug Abuse among Nigerian Youths: Causes, Effects and
Preventions
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
The state of being healthy in mind and body is the goal of
every normal human being. However, there are many other activities of man that
have posed to be a threat to this goal. In our world today, one of the issues
that has been at the forefront in terms of influencing man, his activities and
his decisions is drug abuse. This societal enemy has caused enormous harm to
man and his activities. In describing the depths harmful effects of acquiring
bad habit, Samuel Johnson says,“the chains of habit are so weak to be felt,
until they are so strong to be destroyed”. Following from that, we can realize
that many people have grown used to drug abuse to the extent that they are
addicted or other lives depend on it for survival. Drug abuse can be seen as
the misuse or excessive use some substances, whether medically approved or not.
The misuse of drugs or drug abuse can be caused by many
factors, and its effects on individuals who indulge in it are always hazardous.
It leads to different kinds of social vices. First, it puts the individual in a
state when his or her health is threatened. Secondly, the effects of the abuse
are not restricted only to the individual. Since, he or she lives in a society,
his or her actions will definitely affect people around. This shows that drug
abuse does not have only personal effects, but also a communal effects and
social implications.
This paper will attempt to highlight the general idea of
drug abuse,its distinctiveness from drug addiction and drug dependence. Next,
the discourse will narrow its focus on drug abuse in Nigerian youths. For drugs
to be abused, there ought to be causes that this paper will feature. In the
same way it will foreground the effects and ethical implications of drug abuse.
It will equally accentuate the teachings of the Catholic Church on drug abuse.
As it is an issue that pertains to health, this paper will also point out how
drug abuse can be prevented and also controlled.
1.0.
DRUG ABUSE
In the American
Heritage Medical Dictionary, drug abuse is stated to be inappropriate,
illegal, or excessive use of drugs;[1]
and in the ninth edition of Mosby’s
Medical Dictionary, drug abuse is the use of drugs for a non-therapeutic
effect.[2]
According to Dr. Ananya Mandal, it refers to the use of certain chemicals for
the purpose of creating pleasurable effects on the brain.[3]Since
it is for some specific purposes (which we shall discuss in the course of this
paper) that drugs are abused, there are certain drugs that are put in use in
this act. While illicit drugs like heroin and cocaine are abused any time at
all they are used, prescribed drugs are abused whenever they are used in a
manner other than as intended, or by someone other than to whom they were
prescribed.[4]
1.1. Drug Abuse vs. Drug Addiction
These are two different concepts
that have been misunderstood. Sometimes, they have even been taken to be
synonyms. However, since our major discourse in this paper is the concept ‘drug
abuse’, we shall attempt to distinguish it from other connected terms,
beginning with drug addiction.
Being that
both concepts are drug use disorders, it shows that they are very closely
related. Whereas, drug addiction is a clinically diagnosed disorder that is
recognized as involving compulsive use of substances (drugs), despite negative
consequences.[5]
In other words, drug addiction is the lack of resistance to the urge to use
drugs, no matter how much harm the drugs may cause.[6]
Hence, drug abuse could be regarded as the beginning of drug addiction in cases
where it is not taken care of. The desire to halt use of drugs may be obviously
observed, but the urge to use drugs overpowers the conscious desire to halt the
use of drugs.
1.2. Drug Abuse vs. Drug Dependence
Asides drug addiction, drug dependence is another term
that could be misinterpreted to be drug abuse, if not well clarified.
Sometimes, they are used interchangeably to describe a destructive relationship
to alcohol and drugs. While drug abuse is the inappropriate use of drugs, drug
dependence is a strong, physical or psychological need for a substance (drug),
that one experiences withdrawal symptoms when usage is put to stop.[7] In
the case of drug abuse, the drugs become harmful to the person or addict, while
in the case of drug dependence, the drugs become somewhat useful.
1.3. Statistics of Drug Abuse
Since drug
abuse has become a serious worldwide problem, in that it enhances (in most
cases negatively) the character, productivity, outlook, and even personality of
its victims, nutritionists, pharmacists, psychiatrists, and other scientists
around the world have, in the course of providing solutions, made series of
research on the statistics of drug abuse.
According to
the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA), in the year
2013, approximately 2.8 million people tried an illicit drug for the first
time, and also according to this health society, more and more people are
entering into drug abuse every day.[8] In the year 2009, a summary of the global
drug abuse statistics was released by a group of Australian researchers. It
shows that wealthier and more advanced countries are more at risk. This is
probably because people in these countries have more access to drugs; or that
they have the means to buy drugs or have the mindset that they deserve what makes
them feel real good.[9]The
research shows that between 149 million and 271 million people worldwide used
an illicit drug at least once in 2009; which equals one in every twenty persons
aged 15-64 who had used an illegal drug.[10]
And for injecting drug use, the World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that
148 countries are involved, of which 120 report HIV infection among this
population. WHO has also stated that at least 15.3 million persons have drug
use disorder.[11]
Specifically
speaking, New Zealand and Iran have been named as the countries with the
highest rates of treatment for drug addiction in the world; but for incredibly
different types of substances, namely cannabis and opioids respectively.[12]
However, other countries like Afghanistan, France, United Kingdom, Russia,
Slovakia and some others have been labeled to be countries with the highest
rate of drug use, abuse and addiction in the world.[13]
2.0.
DRUG ABUSE AMONG YOUTHS IN NIGERIA
The subject
of Drug abuse is certainly not alien to Nigerian society. As a matter of fact,
it has, in recent times, generated attention from various groups,
organizations, individuals, government ministries and agencies even the
National Assembly. The disturbance caused by this phenomenon to the Nigerian
society has made headlines in most of our newspapers. Yet it still seems that
enough attention has not been given to this epidermis in Nigeria, perhaps
because many still do not understand the extent to which it has permeated the
Nigerian society. However, the presence of this menace is not evenly
distributed across the country. We shall assess the various regions of the
country to determine the areas as well as the gender and ages of
prevalence.
2.1. Level of Dominance among Nigerian Youths
According to
Lolu Ojo, a fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, “…before the year
2013, Nigeria was only considered as a transit nation for illicit drugs. But
now, we are an internationally recognized user nation.”[14]
This abuse is mostly found among adolescents. From an article in The Nation newspaper, it is reported
that this abuse of drugs by youths is dominance in the Northern part of the
country as a good number of adolescents in secondary schools engage in it.[15]
This is confirmed by the report from Leadership newspaper on the Northern
Governors Forum held on the 29th of March 2018 in Kaduna. The report states
that the Northern Governors implored the federal government to declare a state
of emergency on drug abuse in the country. This of course was a result of the
increasing number of youths engaging in this crime particularly in the Northern
part of the country.[16]
However, by the report from the Nation Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), as
the abuse is highest in the North, the cultivation of such illicit weeds is
mostly done in the South-west, while the Southeast is known to have the highest
number of traffickers of these hard drugs. The report also claims that Nigeria
has the highest record of persons being sentenced to jail as a result of
drug-related cases worldwide.[17]
The whole report simply shows that drug abuse has become an alarming danger in
the Nigerian society especially as it captured the future of the nation – the
youths.
2.2. Drugs commonly abused in Nigeria by the Youths
The drugs
that are commonly abused globally include alcohol, cigarettes, stimulants such
as caffeine, inhalants, tramadol, codeine, morphine, cannabis or marihuana,
cocaine, hallucinogens etc. Dominant in Nigeria is the abuse of alcohol,
cigarette, codeine, caffeine containing substances and most especially,
tramadol. The intake of alcohol and cigarette among youths is no news in
Nigeria since it has pervaded everywhere. But the most popular substances
presently are tramadol and codeine. It is important to note that most of these
drugs are produced for legitimate medical purposes only that the deliberate
excessive intake of them leads to abusive results. The Leadership Newspaper of
March 29, 2018 gives a list of some youths who lost their lives resulting from
tramadol intake. Two of the cases in the report reveal first, a case of a
secondary school student who slummed in the classroom and died; autopsy
revealed it was a tramadol abuse. Another case is in Abia state, where a junior
secondary student died after taking 10 tablets of tramadol to boost his
performance in the inter-house sports.[18]
On the
intake of codeine, statistics has it that about three million codeine
containing cough preparations are consumed daily in Kaduna and about six
million bottles in the North.[19]
Also in the West, the present Lagos state Commissioner for Youth and Social
Development, Mr. Agboola Dabiri, confirmed that beyond marijuana and cigarette,
youths have gone “into strange things like intake of codeine, tramadol, mixture
of soda and bleach, toothpaste, even to the extent of using the of venom of
black mamba snake”[20]
2.3. Gender and Age Involvement
Generally, it is calculated that 40% of Nigerian
youths are abusing one form of drug or another.[21]
Youths involved are between the ages of 15 and 35; and in Nigeria, drug abuse
ismostly found in males than in females. Also, adolescents are introduced to
this crime from their secondary school years, both senior and junior classes.[22]
3.0.
CAUSES OF DRUG ABUSE AMONG NIGERIAN YOUTHS
The youths
in Nigeria have diverse reasons for involving in drug abuse. Drug abuse is the
primary reason why many Nigerian youths have been incarcerated, as well as
being a source of crime and health problem in society today[23]. There are many causes of drug abuse among the
youths; however our paper will accentuate some of them.
3.1. Peer-Pressure
Youths
associate with different types of people otherwise known as friends. Through
the pressure from these friends, an individual may end up having a taste of
these substances. And once this is done, they continue to take it and gradually
become addicted to it.
3.2. Depression
Another
primary cause of drugs abuse is depression. When certain things happen to
someone that is considered very sad and disheartening, the person starts
thinking of the best way to become happy or feel better.The thought of using
hard drugs might set in, and once this thought is actualized, then the person
has been involved in the act. And if the situation is not sorted out properly,
the person might then gradually grow into a drug addict.
Other reasons
why youths in Nigeria engage in drug abuse, order than the ones mentioned
earlier are secondary. They are the use of substances to: control pain, alter
feelings, overcome boredom and loneliness, socialize,satisfy medical needs,
avoidance ofsome responsibilities, instant gratification, controls tension and
so on.
In the face of pressure from the family, friends, school,
a technological changing world, a competitive society, personal affluence or
the lack of it, television, and dehumanizing institutions, some people feel
that the intake of hard substance helps them feel good. Today, a young Nigerian
has little control over his or her own life, that is, unless he or she seeks a
world where he cannot be controlled or monitored. That world which would be sought
is the safe haven that hard drug have created in his or her brain. Drugs
provide not only an escape to that safe havenbut also the avenue to a
self-created and pleasurable haven[24].
4.0.
EFFECTS OF DRUG ABUSE
The effect of drug abuse in Nigeria requires an urgent
public-health priority. This is because drug abuse is a major public-health
concern in Nigeria and the world at large. As such there are recurrent and
significant adverse consequences related to drug abuses which basically
include: Biological or clinical effect, Psychological effect and Ethical and
Social implications.
4.1. Biological Effect
This constitutes the physical or clinical effects of drug
abuse on an individual, such as:
The Heart and Cardiovascular Damage: Studies has shown that drug abuse has the potential to cause
cardiovascular issues. As such it brings about increased heart rate and blood
pressure to aberrant cardiac rhythms and myocardial infarction resulting in
heart attack.[25]
Impairment of the Respiratory System (Lungs): The immense effect of drug abuse is the impairment of the
respiratory system.[26]
This is true most especially with regard to marijuanawhich causes respiratory
complications due to its smoke and inhaling of its toxic chemical components
such as Tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabinoid and others.[27]
Increased Risk of Cancer: Drug
abuse highly predisposes such individuals that use them to mouth, throat,
stomach, pancreatic, liver, lung and breast cancer.
Liver and Kidney Damage: The
human kidney and liver can be damaged both directly and indirectly habitual
drug use over a period of many years. For example there could be liver failure
or inflammation resulting from its overworking to clear the drug’s toxins from
the blood stream.[28]
4.2. Psychological Effect
It is on record that high rate of mental issues in Nigeria
is associated with drug abuse.[29]
Thus people who suffer either from depression, anxiety, paranoia, schizophrenia
and hallucination or any other related mental imbalance or disorder are
approximately twice as likely to have resulted from drug abuse.
Hence, drug abuse exposes an individual’s
neuro-chemicalwiring of the brain. For example, there is evidence that smoking
Marijuana during adolescence can increase a person’s psychosis during
adulthood.[30]However,
psychological disorder among drug abusers is most common and pronounced in
those with genetic predisposition for mental issues. As such drug abuse
increases the risk of developing a mental illness.Consequently, the effect of
drug abuse does not only affect the physical and psychological state of an
individual but it also has both ethical and social implications.
4.3. Ethical and Social Implication of Drug Abuse
Isolation and Relationship: There
occurs a decrease in interpersonal relationships of an individual involved in
drug abuse.[31]
This is for the fact that there occurs such intimate and close commitment
between such individual and the drug in question such as marijuana, alcohol or
any other related substance. As such, relationships would become dysfunctional,
especially as the co-dependent recognizes the effect of the drug.
Family Disorganization: Drug
abuse leads to disintegration of families. This is true since studies have
shown that young adults engaged in drug abuse tend to cut down or quit when
they assume the responsibilities of marriage and family life.[32]
Thus increase in high rate of divorce in the society, the family can be
dissolved children can develop emotional issues and trust can be shattered.[33]
Financial and Job Instability: Drug abuse mostly causes job, time and financial strain.
This is because depending upon the drug of choice by an individual, buying such
drugs become more important to the addict than daily responsibilities.[34]
This then leads to job instability due to unproductive and time waste.
Increase in Crime Rate: Drug
addicts are highly associated to the large amount of crime[35]
in the society especially Nigeria as it concerns this paper. Most of the
individuals arrested for a serious crime such as murder, suicide attempt,
robbery, and sexual assaults were most likely to be under the influence drug.
5.0.
THE TEACHINGS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ON DRUG ABUSE
Humans are religious beings; that is why religion is very
much important to us.[36]
Religion serves as the platform around which all other activities are rooted
such as: cultural, economic, political and social perspectives. Thus,
Christianity precisely ‘The Roman Catholic Church’, as a form of religion has
her impute on the issue of drug abuse.
The Catholic Church vividly states her position on the
usage of drug in the Catechism of the
Catholic Church as thus:
“The use of drugs
inflicts very grave damage on human health and life. Their use, except on
strictly therapeutic grounds, is a grave offence. Clandestine production of and
trafficking in drugs are scandalous practices. They constitute direct
co-operation in evil, since they encourage people to practices gravely contrary
to the moral law.”[37]
We could say that the church firmly
abhors the usage of drugs talk more of when it is abused. Consequently, their
usage could only be on issues pertaining to health. Gluttonous and
overindulgent in the usage of things (drugs and alcohol) for sensual appetite,
lust or pleasure-seeking consist only in seeking venereal pleasure not in
accordance with the right reasoning.[38]
Hence, when a person willingly takes drugs that intoxicates and deprives
himself of the use of reason commits a sin.[39]
Moreso, the church highlights the
effects of drug abuse to include addiction, damage to health and the dignity
given to us by God, frustrates our capacity to live in community and promotes
the false trend of “Right to Drugs and Legalization”.[40]On
‘right to drug’ and legalization, the universal church firmly opposes the
legalization of drugs. It includes the so-called soft drugs, which foments the
same type of dependence mentally and the loss of personal dignity that hard
drugs produce.
6.0.
CONTROL OF DRUG ABUSE (Prevention and Treatment)
It is pertinent to note that any drug that affects the
mental, physical and social aspect of an individual’s life is dangerous to
health. Hence, there is a need to prevent or control the use of hard
substances. Many persons do not understand the effects of drug abuse especially
on the youths.
6.1.
PREVENTION OF DRUG ABUSE
It is very necessary that drug abuse should be prevented or
controlled. The following are avenues to prevent drug abuse:
6.1.1. The Family
The prevention of drug abuse should begin from the family.
The family whether nuclear or extended,has a role to play in the prevention
drug abuse. Family is the smallest unit of the society and it is the first to
prevent or control this drug abuse.[41]
The major strategies the family can adopt in view of preventing drug abuse are
as follows:
Religious Commitment: Parents should be committed in their worship of God, and let
their children know the need to be committed to God.
Care and Supervising or Monitoring: Parents should care for their children, meet their physical
needs, and also monitor their movement to make sure that they are in good
company. If they are keeping bad company, they should be corrected immediately.
They should be disciplined. Parents should not only educate their children on
the dangers of drug abuse but also establish and enforce family rules.
Family Discussion:
Family discussion should be a constantly convoked, so as to aid each other in
any means. During this discussion, problems are shared and one may decide to
seek for the way out of drug abuse especially from alcohol. Also, the manner of
approach in any situation is important. This is because the manner of approach
can lessen or worsen the situation.[42]
6.1.2.
The School
This is a place of formal education where students go to be
gain access to new knowledge. Contrary to what an institution of learning
stands for, it now seen as the venue of drug abuse. Drug abuse has caused a lot
of damages; it destroys the image of our Universities and society at large.
Drug abuse in tertiary institutions promotes evils like cultism, rape, and so
on. The educational system has an important role to play in prevention of drug
abuse. Avenues of teaching the students the dangers of drug abuse can be
provided by organizing lectures/seminars for parents and students on the
dangers of drug abuse; having workshops, conferences and symposia on drug abuse
and its effects on students; and also counseling centers should be opened to
discourage the students from even attempting to give it first trial.[43]
6.1.3. The Community
A community can be seen as a small or large group of persons
having something in common. They also have a role to play in prevention of the
use hard drugs. They can do this by: creating of awareness in the community on
the dangers of drug abuse; provision of alternative activities other than drug
abuse like recreational activities and so on; provision of job opportunities;
organizing seminars, workshops so as to educate the youths on the dangers of
drug abuse, and how to resist drug.Community can also minimize the rate of the
sale of alcohol and that of drinking. They can also establish a drug and
alcohol vigilante groups that will monitor and punish drug traffickers, drug
addicts and alcoholics.They can also go on air to speak against drug abuse.
Other ways that individuals can stay away from this are:
Abstinence: This is indeed the best way to
prevent drug abuse or addiction. Some hard drugs are highly addictive, with
many people becoming addicted after using them just once. One is encouraged to
abstain from drugs. Hence these happen sometimes to teenagers and young adults
who are experiencing peer pressures or who are in chronic physical or emotional
pain.[44]
Live a Healthy, Well-balanced Life and Take Time for
Yourself: Life is filled with stress, which increases a person’s risk
of going into drug abuse or developing an addiction. A healthy lifestyle
includes healthy eating, regular exercise, an active social life, and not
smoking. Also, to prevent drug abuse one is encourage to learn coping
mechanisms when face with negative feelings. Hence some persons takes these
drugs without realizing the consequences, especially from using legal drugs
such as pain medication, and in some cases marijuana.[45]
Engage in Mindfulness Activities: Mindfulness activities, such as
meditation and yoga, have been shown to help with managing negative emotions,
reducing anxiety and stress, and improving a person’s overall health and
wellbeing. Engaging in these activities will decrease many of the common
triggers of drug abuse, including negative emotions. It has also been shown to
provide some mental illness help.[46]
Use Medication only as Prescribed: Although marijuana is often called
the gateway drug, prescription painkillers are now one of the most common ways
that people become addicted to drugs. It becomes an abuse when not used
according to the prescription. Prescription drug addiction is becoming a
problem that can be solved by managing the drug use, using it only when
necessary, and only as prescribed.[47]
6.2.
TREAMENT OF DRUG ABUSE
However,
based on scientific research since
the mid-1970s, the following key principle should form the basis of any effective
treatment: Addiction is complex, however, treatable diseases that affect the
function of the brain and behavior, medically assisted detoxification is the
first stage of treatment. No single treatment is right for everyone; hence, effective
treatment addresses all of the patient’s needs, not just his or her drug use.
Also, counseling and other behavioral therapies are the most commonly used
forms of treatment; the use of medication is often an important part of
treatment, especially when combined with behavioral therapies. Treatment should
address other possible mental disorders.[48]
Therefore, the major treatments for drug addiction are: behavioral counseling,
medication, medical devices and applications used to treat withdrawal symptoms
or deliver skills training evaluation and treatment for co-occurring mental
health issues such as depression and anxiety. After these, follow-up care may
include community or family-based recovery support systems.[49]
CONCLUSION
In this paper, we have
made attempts to explain what drug abuse is and its distinctiveness from drug
addiction and drug dependence. We also tried to paint a picture of the
involvement of Nigerian youths in the use of hard drugs. We also highlighted
the causes of drug abuse, its effects or social implications and consequently
how to prevent and control it. And lastly, we briefly accentuated the teaching
of the Catholic Church of drug abuse and the deliberate use of substance that
does not help the health of an individual.
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[2]Cf.
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[3] Dr.
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[5] Cf.
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[14]LoluOjo,
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[18]
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[19]LoluOjo,
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[20] “Lagos
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[32]Cf.
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[36] Cf.
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[37] Cf. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, “Respect for the Dignity Persons”, no. 2291.
[38] Cf.
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[39] Cf.
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[40] Cf.
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Umar Lawal
Yusuf et al, “Drug Abuse Among Youths In Nigeria”
Maiduguri: [Accessed on 25/04/2018], http://www.unimaid.edu.ng/oer/Journals-oer/Social/General/Paper%20C%208.pdf.
[42] Cf. Umar Lawal Yusuf et al, “Drug
Abuse Among Youths In Nigeria” Maiduguri: [Accessed on 25/04/2018].
[43] Cf. Umar Lawal Yusuf et al, “Drug
Abuse Among Youths In Nigeria” Maiduguri: [Accessed on 25/04/2018].
[44] Cf.
Drugs Life “Ways to prevent Drug use” [Accessed on 25/04/2018], http://losangelesdrugtreatmentrehabcenter.com/top-10-ways-to-prevent-drug-abuse.php.
[45] Cf.
Drugs Life “Ways to prevent Drug use” [Accessed on 25/04/2018].
[46] Cf.
Drugs Life “Ways to prevent Drug use” [Accessed on 25/04/2018].
[47] Cf.
Drugs Life “Ways to prevent Drug use” [Accessed on 25/04/2018].
[48] Cf.
Drug Abuse “National Institute on Drug Abuse” [Accessed 26/04/2018], https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/treatment-approaches-drug-addiction.
[49]Cf.
Drug Abuse “National Institute on Drug Abuse” [Accessed 26/04/2018].
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