EFFECT OF DRUG ABUSE AMONG STUDENTS OF SECONDARY SCHOOL IN KARU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF NASARAWA STATE

CHAPTER ONE

1.0       INTRODUCTION

            This chapter covers background of the study, statement of the purpose of the           study, objectives, researches question and importance of the study. This chapter     also points out limitation and delimitations experienced by the researcher while   carrying out the study and also the assumptions and definitions of operational        terms used in this study.

1.1             Background to the Study

There is a growing public concern in our country, Nigeria, about involvement of adolescents and young adult in drug abuse, which is defined as the non-medical use of substances by human beings that may modify one or more of its functions and may impair an individual ability to function effectively and may result in social physical or emotional harm.

The problem of drug abuse has preoccupied scholars since time immemorial. It is a psychosocial problem that affects every society and threatens the future of the young people. Drug addiction has turned many young people into psychopaths, zombies and criminals. Most teenagers and youth begin to experiment with substances at an early age (Jaffe, 2008). In primary and secondary schools, peers engage in organized crimes and disrupt normal academic programmes whilst in secondary schools and most African universities, the activities of secret cults are known to have been source of threat to lives and property (Aluede, 2000; Abudu, 2008).

Many scholars view very serious and fundamental, social problems as an area worthy of study. The problem that pre- occupied the minds of the world leaders, non-governmental organizations educations as well as the psychologists is the problem of drug abuse among the secondary school students.

There is a growing public concern in Nigeria about involvement of adolescents and youths in drug abuse, which is defined as the non-medical use of substances by human beings that may modify one or more of its functions and may impair an individual ability to function effectively and may result in social physical or emotional harm. While it is universally accepted that drugs can be of tremendous benefit to man and society, it is also acknowledged that inappropriate use of drugs can be harmful to man .The personal, social and public health problems associated with psychoactive substance use, have continued to arouse worldwide interest and concern. Various reports and researches conducted have illustrated this phenomenon. Drugs/substance abuse is a world wide hazard with dangerous complications that affect many countries around the globe, Nigeria inclusive. The problem varies from place to place.

The African seminar on problems of drug dependence held in Lagos, Nigeria declared that “Drug abuse and dependence producing substances are widely prevalent in African countries have continue to increase. These problems affect the individual, the family and the society in general. Substance abuse which was originally conceived as the problem of a selected few is today becoming a problem of a sizeable proportion of the world population. The problem is so grave that it has extended beyond the usual characteristic profile of abusers being male, adult, and urban-based to now include females, youngsters and those who live in rural areas. Its economic effect is so devastating that it is estimated that the annual retail cost of psychotropic substances by prescription is over two billion naira while the alcoholic industry which produces over five billion gallons of alcoholic beverages annually generate more than four billion naira from sales to a consumer population of about 30-35 million people.

Escandon and Galvez (2006) define a drug as any substance which when introduced into the body will alter the normal biological and psychological functioning of the body especially the central nervous system.

According to world book Medical encyclopaedia (2006), drug abuse is the harmful use of mind altering drugs. The term usually refers to problem with illegal drugs, which also include harmful use of legal prescription drugs, such as in self medication. The impact of drug abuse among youths has been a hallmark of a morally bankrupt, decadent and wasted generation and loss of our societal values and ideals (Mohasoa, 2010). Majority of the youths around the globe ignorantly depend on one form of drug or the other for their various daily activities, such drugs include: tobacco, cocaine, morphine, heroine, alcohol, ephedrine, madras, caffeine, glue, and amphetamines among others. Madu and Matla (2003) state that the most widely abused substances are alcohol, tobacco and cannabis because they are in excess. Most high schools encounter problems with youth who smoke cigarettes on the school premises. Some of these youth come to school under the influence of liquor.

Drug abuse or substances use is now known to be a common term referred to any use of illicit substances. Legally, the term means any use of drugs that have been classified as illegal in a country. Medically, the term means the use of any drug in a way that is harmful to the body either immediately or in the long term. It also connotes taking drugs without medical advice. Socially, the term indicates that the effects of the substance being used interfere with the individuals social life. It is also defined as the use of a drug which is viewed as posing a problem by the society concerned. Thus, drug abuse generally refers to drug use that results in the physical, mental, emotional and social impairment of the user. Abused substances include alcohol, tobacco and tobacco products, stimulants, cannabis, sedative-hypnotics and narcotics. These drugs or substances of abuse belong to an heterogeneous pharmacological group and the link between them is that the sensation of euphoria they produce and the abusers want to continue to enjoy the effect.

The indulgence of secondary school students in Karu into the life threatening activity over the years has been issue of great concern to the educationist, the state government, parents and nation at large. Campaigns have gone all nooks and crannies against illicit drug abuse in all quarters of life, but the deviant acts increase immensely causing serious problems to the conducts and behaviours of the students at school, home, and to the society at large.

 It is against this background that this study intends to assess the effect of drug abuse among students of secondary school in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

1.2             Statement of the Problem

Drug abuse amongst secondary school students nowadays has become a serious problem affecting all the people of the country. Drug abuse has led many young people in secondary school into a downward spiral of hopelessness that in some cases ends fatally. Abuse of drugs is responsible for lost wages, destruction of property in schools,  soaring health care costs and broken families. In the recent past, there was an outcry from educational administrators on the rate at which young secondary school students use drugs. According to Ofulla (2009), some 48% of secondary school students in this country had abuse drugs. Many young adolescents have access to drugs like tobacco, miraa, and others. Despite the effort by many concerned bodies to curb this drug abuse menace, secondary school students are still lured into drugs and alcoholism which kills and brought their developmental potentials in question and brings forth a lot of menace in the society such as rise in crime among other vices.

Various studies have been carried out recently under the general theme of the abuse of drugs such by: Ngesu (2008); Maithya (2009); Ofulla (2009); Mbalu (2012); Korir (2013); Chesang (2013); Chebukaka (2014); and Ngirachu (2014) have been general or have failed to give detailed insights on factors influencing secondary school students to drug abuse. These studies also included non-schooling youth and according to the above studies and others, drug abuse indicators continue to show an upward trend in both urban and rural areas, especially in the use of substances such as alcohol, cannabis sativa (bhang), miraa (khat), tobacco etc, which are readily found in most places. Although the  studies attained their objectives they did not delve into the factors that influence secondary school students to abuse drugs. There is also paucity of published work on the effects and aftermaths of drug abuse among secondary school students. It is based on the foregoing that this this study intended to bridge this gap in knowledge that exists.

1.3             Research Questions

This study will attempt to answer the following questions:

i.                    What is the nature of drug abuse among secondary school student in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State?

ii.                 What are the types of drugs that are abused by students of secondary school in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State?

iii.                What are the factors responsible for involvement of secondary school students in drug abuse in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State?

iv.               What are the ways of controlling drug abuse among secondary school students in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State?

1.4       Objectives of the Study

The main aim of this study is to effect of drug abuse by youths in secondary schools in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

Specifically, the study sought to:

i)                   Examine the nature of drug abuse by students of secondary schools in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

ii)                 Identify the types of drugs that are abused by students of secondary schools in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

iii)               Investigate the factors responsible for the involvement secondary school students in drug abuse in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

iv)               Proffer solution on the possible ways to control drug abuse among secondary school students in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

1.5       Significance of the Study

The study assessed drug abuse by students of secondary school of Karu Local Government Area of Nasa. The study will be significant to the Nigerian Governments, Educational Authority and other policy makers involved in implementation of drug abuse tackling strategies. The Institutions heads and stakeholders will use the findings as the base upon which to review factors influencing secondary school students to drug abuse. Necessary measures identified could be undertaken to enhance strategy formulation to counter drugs abuse among secondary school students and Nigeria at large.

The study will help to make policy makers, school administrators and teachers aware of the factors hindering the effectiveness of the approaches which attempt to curb drug abuse and, where possible, create opportunities to eradicate the problem. The proposed programme would be useful in educating all Nigerians youths and adults, on the risks of drug consumption. Thus, this study would play an important role in reducing, or even preventing high rates of drug use and abuse among students of secondary school.

The regulators and the policy makers can use the finding as reference for policy guidelines on management and control of drug abuse in the country. They will be able to use the findings of the study to formulate viable policy documents that effectively will cope with the menace of drugs abuse in the country. Based on the findings, recommendations are made. If followed, these recommendations would be useful to administrators and policy makers in curbing drug abuse in schools through improving existing educational programmes, and striving to develop ones that are even more efficient.

The study will provide additional information into the already existing body of literature regarding drug abuse among secondary school students. The findings of this study will enrich existing knowledge and hence will be of interest to both researchers and academicians who seek to explore and carry out further investigations. It will provide basis for further research.

1.6       Scope of the Study

This study will cover an assessment of the effect of drug abuse by among students of secondary school. Hence, the study will be restricted to Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State only.

Specifically, the concern of this study will include the nature of drug abuse by the secondary school students, the types of drugs abused by the secondary school students, the factors responsible for their involvement in drug abuse and the possible ways of controlling drug abuse among secondary school students.

Time factor, financial constraints and insufficient library constitutes the major limitations to this study.