A REVIEW ON DRUG ABUSE AND ITS IMPACT ON NIGERIA YOUTH

A REVIEW ON DRUG ABUSE AND ITS IMPACT ON NIGERIA YOUTH

​​​​Background of the study

Drug usage is widespread throughout all age groups, from adolescents to older people. In order to maintain their own health, animals can benefit from the usage of drugs in much the same way that people can. When it is discovered that their pets do not have good health, human humans often medicate their pets with medications. In the body of any living thing, drug is a chemical that may effectively treat illness and restore health in order to make life healthier. It is true that drugs are used for beneficial therapeutic purposes, and that they are an effective substance for good health; yet, many, especially young people, abuse them for the wrong reasons. According Ijeoma (2017) they use it in a way that is both illegal and unlawful, which makes it unhealthy for the body.

Abubakar (2019) opined that abuse of drugs refers to the consumption of pharmaceuticals for reasons other than those recommended by a physician, which can have a detrimental effect on an individual's social life, cognitive functioning, or physical health. The increased likelihood that an individual may get into fights with their friends, their instructors, and the authorities at their school may be a reflection of the social repercussions. Cognitive impacts relate to the individual’s lack of concentrate on academic work and memory loss. According to Lewinsohn (2007), a medication is any thing other than food or water that has an effect on the way individuals think, feel, see, or behave. It is a drug that, because to the chemical makeup of the material, has an effect on all three levels of functioning: the physical, the mental, and the emotional. Chewing it, breathing it, smoking it, drinking it, rubbing it on the skin, or injecting it are all possible ways for it to enter the body.

Abuse of drug substances among the young people of the world has developed into a significant problem that affects everyone. Addiction sends a large number of individuals, particularly young people, into a downward cycle of hopelessness that, in some circumstances, ultimately results in death. They vary from young toddlers living on the streets who are addicted to glue and adolescent ecstasy users to hardened addicts of heroin and cocaine (Faareida 2019). Abuse of drugs is the root cause of missed income, the damage of property in schools, skyrocketing expenditures associated with medical treatment, and shattered families. It is an issue that impacts each and every one of us, whether we are parents, children, teachers, government officials, taxpayers, or workers.

Ijeoma (2017) established that "Drug misuse and dependency producing drugs are extensively widespread in African nations and have continued to rise," was the conclusion reached at an African symposium on the challenges of drug dependence that was conducted in Lagos, Nigeria. These issues have an effect not just on the person, but also on their family and on society as a whole. Abuse of substances, which was first regarded of as an issue that only a particular subset of the population faced, is now becoming a problem that a considerable proportion of the global population faces. The problem is so severe that it has gone beyond the typical characteristic profile of abusers being male, adult, and urban-based to now include females, younger people, and those who reside in rural regions. This is because the situation has become so bad that it has gone beyond these characteristics. Its effect on the economy is so devastating that it is estimated that the annual retail cost of psychotropic substances available by prescription is more than two billion naira, while the alcoholic beverage industry, which produces more than five billion gallons of alcoholic beverages annually, generates more than four billion naira from sales to a consumer population of approximately 30-35 million people. This is a stark contrast to the effects of the drug trade, which generates more than five times as much revenue (Folawiyo, 2008). The trafficking of illegal drugs is known to create enormous profits and fortunes, which is one of the reasons why it has been so difficult to battle the drug trafficking despite the fact that several laws have been passed to try to do so. For example, it is believed that the turnover of the illegal drug business is in the amount of $400 billion, which is comparable to about 8 percent of total international commerce and is thus greater than the trade in iron steel, motor vehicles, textiles, and tourism combined. (Innerarity, 1999) [cited in Addiction and the behaviors of addicts are responsible for the loss of lives on a daily basis. Drug misuse and the other connected problems pose a huge danger to the continued existence of human civilizations as well as their capacity to operate effectively. It has been shown that people who were under the influence of drugs were responsible for a considerable number of fatalities that occurred as a result of accidents and acts of violence (Falope, 1991). Now, treatment centers around the country are increasingly reaching their capacity due to an increase in drug-related issues and cases (Odejide, A.O., Ohaeri, J.U., Ogunleye, D.A., Ajuwon, A and Ige A. 1990). As a result, it is vital that measures be taken to reduce the prevalence of drug usage among Nigeria's young people, who represent the country's next generation.

Every day, a greater number of people in Nigeria, whether young and elderly, test positive for drug usage. The term "drugs" can also refer to the essential compounds that are present in the bodies of all living organisms and serve the functions of preventing disease, relieving pain, and promoting a healthy existence. However, despite the fact that these medicines are intended to save lives, their misuse frequently results in the loss of those lives. This is more commonly seen in younger people. The illicit and illegal consumption of these narcotics has certain repercussions to deal with. The usage of illegal drugs has brought disgrace upon individuals, families, communities, and the nation of Nigeria as a whole.

According to the statistical data that was made public by the World Health Organization (WHO), substances such as alcohol, cigarettes, and cocaine are the primary cause of the high incidence of disease that is currently being experienced by our society. These accidents have resulted in the loss of life. The problem of substance misuse has recently emerged as the primary focus of conversation in the civilizations of today. Abuse of drugs not only has a destructive effect on the person or individual who is affected by it, but it also has a terrible influence on others who are related to the afflicted person (relatives, friends etc.). According to Barry's research from 1984, substance addiction and alcoholism have a substantial role in the commission of serious crimes and are also major contributors to the number of people who lose their lives as a result of these crimes.

According to Boris (1974), who stated that drug abuse plays a significant role in everyday interpersonal affaires, despite the fact that there is no data shown, but many youths in Nigeria are also users of drugs, however, there are many other users of such drug that is beyond moderate level to them, drug abuse constitute a very solving problem, and this condition appears to be based on an underlined psychological abnormality. Abuse of drugs not only has a negative impact on the health and social function of the person, but also on the user's family, friends, and coworkers, as well as on society as a whole. As a result of this, the researcher has decided that the Surulere Local Government Area in Lagos State would serve as the research work's case study.

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