DRUG ABUSE
Guy How Far You get weed? i dey feel my trips I don high....These and some other words are used by the drug addicts especially the Nigerian youth of today.
Drug Abuse is the act or process of using drugs to perform functions other than its primary functions of treating a particular ailment either through Swallowing, inhaling, injecting or overdose.
Within the last decade It has become a trend in tertiary institutions in Nigeria for youths from 15- 30 females inclusive who constitute the high risk groups to consume hard drugs , for various reasons such as feeling of esctacy , to ease depression, to be able to stay up all night to read, Some give excuses such as My Father smokes so why can't i smoke too.while some others do not even know why they abuse drugs they just want to go with the trend. The most rampant factor that has aided the growth of this social menace is peer pressure. When students get into the universities they feel they are now on top of the world, the freedom and all, no mummy or daddy to tell them what to do and in desperation to join the league of the 'big boys' they tend to engage in all sort of social vices . Research shows that drugs commonly abused are Alcohol ,Cannabis , Codeine known as COCO, Rehiphnol commonly called REPH tobacco called CIGAR. the abuse of these drugs come with a lot of hazards which are known to users, for example on every pack of cigarette there is an inscription FEDERAL MINISTRY OF HEALTH WARNS THAT SMOKERS ARE LIABLE TO DIE YOUNG, one would wonder why they still indulge in smoking is it because they do not see it or because they want to die young, kidney problem, mental disorder heart failure liver problems to mention but a few are part of the health dangers of drug Abuse. With the incessant increase of this vice the big question is Who is to be blamed ? The Schools , the Home or The society. Some schools have tried in curbing this menace by means of conducting random drug tests on students, rehabilitation of students with drug Abuse cases Awareness and Enlightenment on dangers of drug Abuse, while other institutions have not tried at all.
This Phenomenon has become a great deal of worry in some parents and teachers who are somehow not able to control their addicted children or wards, parents whose children have become addicts have resulted in spiritual means,they have seen it as a sort of punishment from God on them or an attack tool by the enemy to deprive them of the joy of reaping the fruit of their labour but is that really the case? they have also contributed a great deal to the increase of this menace they have little or no worries on the kind of friends their children keep, they feel once a child gets into the University he automatically becomes an adult but that is not always the case, they have not really established a kind of relationship between them and their children , they send them off to boarding schools too early and during the holidays they are not always available to study the kinds of character or behaviour they must have acquired while at school, too much freedom and over protection, unlimited access to the internet, Availability of these substances at home especially Alcohol.
We live in a world of today where celebrities have become our role models "Wizkid smokes and has alot of female fans...maybe if i start smoking ill catch the attention of the ladies" quoting the statement of a friend of mine way back in secondary School, And no doubt he is speaking the mind of thousands of youths out there, with this mentality drug Abuse will not only increase it will be a part of this generation. There are naked advertisements of alcohol , cigarettes and other non medicated drugs on our televisions, internets everywhere. we just wonder if there is any body or organisation regulating what we watch and curiosity they say kills the cat,we the youth of these days are very inquisitive and curious, we would like to test the efficacy of whatever we see or hear of, these curiousity have led a lot of people to become addicts.
Drug Abuse has become the primary source of incaceration and health problems of many youth today,Number of youths incacerated in various prisons across the country has increased dramatically over the last few decades. As a matter of fact majority of these youths have been arrested for drug offences and/or have a drug Abuse problem. As a matter of Urgency Serious measures has to be taken to curb this social ill. In tackling this problem we must first see it as a threat rather than a mere problem. futhermore i suggest the corrective measures and preventive measures.
Corrective Measures: These methods are getting those who are already addicted to a particular drug or group of drugs- The Addicts.
i. They should realise that they have a problem, once they realise that drug Abuse is a problem and a detterent to their progress 50% of the problem is solved and also personal determination or decision to quit.
ii.Rehabilitation: this is the most common way of correcting an addict it the necessary training and education given to an addict to allow for a succesful reintegration into the society.
iii. Constant counselling, wise words and admonition should be given to the addict by someone who is very close or dear to him/her
iv. Addict should be kept busy, idleness they say is the devil's workshop, a major reason youth engage in drug Abuse is Unemployment, when one is idle he tends to engage in all sort of illicit activities, drugs inclusive. one who is addicted should be kept busy.
other corrective measures include excercise, healthy diets and Prayers as the case may be.
As regards the preventive measures these are methods to be taken by schools individuals parents religious institutions and other agencies charged with the responsibility to do so to curb or eradicate the spread of this virus
i.these drugs that are mostly abused should not be easily accesible talk more of being abused, local pharmaceutical stores should be put under strict supervsion, because they are major contributors to this problem, these drugs should not be sold without prescribtion by a medical doctor and should not be sold to unauthorised persons
ii.Parents should know the kind on friends their children or wards keep, unannouced visits should be payed to their children in higher instititutions
iii.Dangers on drug Abuses should be taught in schools and religious places
iv. Every youth should have a goal or ambition he is determined to achieve and should therefore be regard drug Abuse as a detterent in achieving his/her goal.
Drug Abuse if not curbed, our generation will be sitting on gun powder. To every Nigerian youth Drug Abuse is just a deterrent to the positive things you were destined to achieve. Remember you only live Once. I say NO to drugs.
Abdul Hakeem Atanda
08145672132
