DANGERS OF DRUG ABUSE AMONG YOUTH OF DANJUMA COMMUNITY IN AKURE SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, ONDO STATE

Drug abuse, the excessive, maladaptive, or addictive use of drugs for nonmedical purposes despite social, psychological, and physical problems that may arise from such use. Abused substances include such agents as anabolic steroids, which are used by some athletes to accelerate muscular development and increase strength and which can cause heart disease, liver damage, and other physical problems; and psychotropic agents, substances that affect the user’s mental state and are used to produce changes in mood, feeling, and perception Britannica,  2021).The latter category, which has a much longer history of abuse, includes opium (and such derivatives as heroin), hallucinogens, barbiturates, cocaine, amphetamines, tranquilizers, the several forms of cannabis, and alcohol (Britannica,  2021). Drug abuse continues to be a controversial issue around the globe. It leads to enormous loss in life, and its effects spill over into the general society as well, thereby hindering the effective functionality and growth of populations. Narcotics Control Board. Report of the International Narcotics Control Board (United Nations Publications. 2004:2005).

In developing countries, for instance, the harm is magnified by the poor economic and living conditions. Government spending on substance abuse treatment is seen as an extra financial burden on an already strained budget. Furthermore, drug addiction can threaten civic safety, given that people under the influence of drugs may have a distorted view of the world around them and are prone to participating in improper behaviors such as armed robbery, traffic violations, and domestic violence (Hohl et al., 2017). Such persons can then become a danger to their family, the general public, and the environment (Kellen et al., 2017). Substance abuse also increases the risk of spreading infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B and C and tuberculosis. Drug abusers tend to share infected needles and cannot make appropriate decisions while under the influence of controlled substances, which can lead to the spread of the above-mentioned infections. Additionally, being under the influence of illicit drugs can also increase the incidence of unprotected sex (Chowa et al.,   2012). Studies on substance abuse and potential intervention strategies in Africa are extremely limited in the scientific literature, highlighting the need for more research on this subject.

Drug abuse is emerging as a global public health issue. The recent world drug report-2019 of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimated that 271 million (5.5%) of the global population (aged between 15 and 64 years), had used drugs in the previous year (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2019). Also, it has been projected those 35 million individuals will be experiencing drug use disorders (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2019). Further, the Global Burden of disease Study 2017 estimated that, in 2017, there were 585,000 deaths due to drug use, globally (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2019). (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime 2017). Therefore, global interventions for preventing drug abuse including its impact on health, governance, and security, requires a widespread understanding of the prevalence, frequently implicated drugs, commonly involved population, sources of the drugs and risk factors associated with the drug abuse. In Nigeria, the burden of drug abuse is on the rise and becoming a public health concern. Nigeria, which is the most populous country in Africa, has developed a reputation as a center for drug trafficking and usage mostly among the youth population (Pela and Ebie,2016). Drug abuse in Nigeria: a review of epidemiological studies. (Abiodun, 2016).

Drug abuse and its clinical implications with special reference to Nigeria. According to the 2018 UNODC report “Drug use in Nigeria”—The first large-scale, nationwide national drug use survey in Nigeria, one in seven persons (aged 15–64 years) had used a drug in the past year ( United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime 2018, Drug use in Nigeria ) Also, one in five individuals who had used drug in the past year is suffering from drug-related disorders  ( United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime 2018, Drug use in Nigeria ). Drug abuse has been a cause of many criminal offences such as theft, burglary, sex work, and shoplifting  ( United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2018) Nigeria is an enormously diverse country with over 400 ethnicities and many religious groups (Tyndal, 2020). Drug abuse is therefore viewed within a broader context in Nigeria, due to its multicultural nature. For instance, most societies do not consider the use of some drugs which do not produce overt behavioral changes as drug abuse. However, despite this multicultural nature of the Nigerian population, there is a consistent outcry from both the public, police, preachers, health professionals, teachers, regulatory agencies and parents on the growing burden of drug abuse (abuse of drugs which affect behavior) in the country. The recent call was that of the President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (Ohuabunwa, 2019. Tackling the menace of drug abuse). 

Efforts to prevent the growing burden of drug abuse in Nigeria involve the identification of evidence-based information on the extent of the problem, from epidemiological studies. To date, most of the information on drug abuse in Nigeria is reported by the media (print, electronic and online). However, scientific evidence from epidemiological studies has started emerging in recent years. Although there were attempts in the past to summarize such studies in the form of a narrative review, such reviews were limited with lack of systematic search of the literature. Also, such studies were published in 1982 (Pela et al., 2016). Drug abuse in Nigeria, (Abiodun,2016). 

Alcohol and drug abuse in Nigeria: a review of the literature. There is, therefore, a need for recent summarized data on drug abuse in Nigeria. We, therefore, aim to conduct a scoping review of the literature to summarize the findings of epidemiological studies on drug abuse and provisions of drug laws in Nigeria. The United Nations says the rate of consumption of illegal drugs in Africa is on the rise. But it insists it cannot supply specific figures, because records of drug consumption in Africa are incomplete. Gilberto Gerra is chief of drug prevention and health branch at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, (UNODC). He said Africa's rising illegal drug consumption can be attributed to political instability as well as porous borders.

“West Africa is completely weak in terms of border control and the big drug cartels from Colombia and Latin America have chosen Africa as a way to reach Europe,” Gerra told DW. He said West African countries such as Guinea Bissau, Liberia and others were becoming the target of these criminal organizations, which were taking advantage of the weakness of police and the lack of money and resources to use these countries for transit purposes (Leylah et al., 2013)

Youth of Danjuma community get involved in the habit of drug abuse due to lack of knowledge of danger and effect of what misuse of drug/inappropriate use of drug can cause to them because of the benefit they think they get from it. Some of the reason they get themselves involved in drug abuse is because they believe that it make them to be bold and be courageous and gives them energy and. Stability, they need to do difficult and hard works and their daily activities. Involvement of Danjuma’s youth into drug abuse could it be due to the level and rate of unemployment of the society or lack of parental care and poor upbringing. So, this topic aim to investigate the Danger of drug abuse among Danjuma youth.

The aim of this study is to investigate the dangers of drug abuse among youth of Danjuma community Akure

The objective of the study are;

To identify the danger of drug abuse in the study area Danjuma community

To examine their knowledge toward drug abuse

To sensitize the youth on the ways to prevent drug abuse through health education

This study will help the youth of Danjuma to understand the danger or the negative effect of drug abuse and how it can affect their health. 

It will help to reduce the morbidity rate among the youth due to misuse or drug abuse and it will also help the law enforcement agency to enforce law to prevent the activities of drug abuse.

This study will also serve as baseline information for others researchers.

Drug: is any chemical substance that causes a change in an organism's physiology or psychology when consumed. 

Abuse:  is the improper usage or treatment of a thing, often to unfairly or improperly gain benefit. 

Maladaptive: is a trait that is more harmful than helpful, in contrast with an adaptation, which is more helpful than harmful. 

Addictive: is an inability to stop using a substance or engaging in a behavior even though it is causing psychological and physical harm.

Nonmedical: Is use of a prescription drug, whether obtained by prescription or otherwise, other than in the manner or for the time period prescribed, or by a person for whom the drug was not prescribed.

Population: Is typically refers the number of people in a single area whether it be a city or town, region, country, or the world. 

Anabolic steroid: is also known more properly as anabolic androgenic steroids, are steroidal androgens that include natural androgens like testosterone as well as synthetic androgens that are structurally related and have similar effects to testosterone.

Influence: is the ability to cause desirable and measurable actions and outcomes. As everyday people flirt with reach and impact.

Epidemiologic studies: are the foundation for disease control and prevention through tracking the prevalence of the disease, characterizing the natural history, and identifying determinants or causes of the disease.

No Review Found.