DETERMINANTS OF DRUG ABUSE AMONG NIGERIAN YOUTH

Abstract

This study focused on the determinant of drug abuse among Nigerian youth with emphasis on three selected settlement in Akok Land; akungba, iwaro and ikare of Ondo state in Nigeria has recently attracted public attention. Given this background, it is important to understand the factors that influenced youths to take to drugs and the extent to which involvement in drugs has affected security in the Metropolis and thus explore effective ways toward curbing it. Three research questions and a research hypotheses were formulated by the researcher to aid the completion of the study. A survey method was adopted with samples drawn from three selected communities in Akok Land namely (akungba, iwaro and ikare). A population of 300 youth was randomly selected by the researcher as the population of the study. The researcher adopt the percentage, graphical and Chi-square statistics as a method of Data analysis. The study concludes that drug abuse among the youth is common and spells danger not only to the youth who abuse the drugs but also to the wellbeing of society at large. The researcher therefore recommends that Parents should live exemplary lives so as to be able to control their children’s drug use.

 

    CHAPTER ONE

   INTRODUCTION

• Background of the study

Records have it that drugs were introduced into Nigeria by soldiers returning from the World War II and since then it has spread among the political thugs, criminals, youth and adolescent population (Adegboro J. S 2014). However, drug use in Nigeria began attracting the attention of researchers in late 60s (Borrofka, 1996). Proper drug use means taking in medication in the right dosage and discontinuing the medication on the advice of a professional. Drug abuse is the misuse of medication, self-medication and the use of illegal substances. Some medication make the user feel good, since they target certain nerve tracks in the brain, known as reward pathways (formerly called pleasurable pathways). The person may enjoy ‘the high’ and wish to experience it again. Drug such as cocaine and ‘crystal meth’ stimulate the path of the brain that releases dispamine, which gives the person a feeling of wellbeing and happiness (Seraphim, 2015). When such drugs become a habit, they can be destructive to the user, as the reward pathway starts to run off. This means the dosage must be increased to achieve the same effect. There are many factors that contribute to the influence of drug abuse or drug addiction among the Nigerian youths, namely peer groups, parental background (broken home), and emotional stress among others. Today, majority of people in the country believe that drug abuse is a cankerworm and a disturbing problem in the lives of our youths. It has already been established that drug abuse is a factor to be reckoned with. Drug abuse is the Use of drugs for purposes other than medical reasons, thus affecting the individual in a negative way socially, cognitively or physically Kuria (2016). Social effects may be reflected in an individual’s enhanced tendency to engage in conflicts with friends, teachers, and school authorities. Cognitive effects relate to the individual’s lack of concentration on academic work and memory loss. While Lewinsohn (2017) defines a drug as any product other than food or water that affects the way people feel, think, see, and behave. It is a substance that due to its chemical nature affects physical, mental and emotional functioning. It can enter the body through chewing, inhaling, smoking, drinking, rubbing on the skin or injection.

Drug abuse amongst the global youth population has become a serious problem affecting everyone. Addiction leads many people, young people prominent amongst them, into downward spiral of hopelessness that in some cases ends fatal. They range from glue- sniffing street children and teenage ecstasy users, to hard core heroin and cocaine addicts (Nacada, 2015). Drug abuse is responsible for lost wages, destruction of property in schools, soaring health care costs and broken families. It is a problem which affects us all as parents, children, teachers, government officials, taxpayers and workers.

• STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

It is no longer new in our society that young people has taken after deviant behaviors to express themselves in our society. Deviance is not a property inherent in certain forms of behavior (Erikson, 2016; Becker, 2014); it is a property conferred upon particular behaviors by social definitions. In the course of our daily lives, people use normative schemes available to them and make judgments regarding the desirability or undesirability of this or that behavior. They then translate their judgments into favourable or unfavourable consequences of those who engage in the behavior. In this sense, deviance is what people say it is. From the foregoing, it is evident that the larger society frowns at alcohol and drug abuse by the youths. In this research, attention will be focused on some important problems relating to the causes and challenges as it affects the youths who abuse the usage of drugs and alcohol in Akungba, Iwaro and Ikare communities in Akoko land in Ondo state.

The problems among others include:

• The cultural and religious dimension of drugs and alcohol abuse by youths in Akungba, Iwaro and Ikare communities in Akoko land in Ondo state.
• The socio-economic constraints.
• Efforts towards the rehabilitation of drug addicts and their eventual reintegration into the society.
• The factors that propel or aid drug abuse in Akungba, Iwaro and Ikare communities in Akoko land in Ondo state
  • OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The study has one objective which is divided into general and specific objectives; the general objective is to examine the determinant of drug abuse among Nigerian youth with emphasis on Akungba, Iwaro and Ikare communities in Akoko land in Ondo state. The specific objectives are;

1. To examine the factors that propel or aid drug abuse amongst youth in Akungba, Iwaro and Ikare communities in Akoko land in Ondo state
2. To examine the effect of drug abuse among Nigerian youth

• To examine the control measures put in place to curb the menace of drug abuse among youth in Akungba, Iwaro and Ikare communities in Akoko land in Ondo state

1. To examine if there is any significant relationship between drug abuse and deviant behavior among youths in Akungba, Iwaro and Ikare communities in Akoko land in Ondo state
   • RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions were formulated by the researcher to aid the completion of the study;

1. Are they factors that propel or aid drug abuse amongst youth in Akungba, Iwaro and Ikare communities in Akoko land in Ondo state?
2. Is there any control measures put in place to curb the menace of drug abuse among youth in Akungba, Iwaro and Ikare communities in Akoko land in Ondo state?

• Does drug abuse have any effect among Nigerian youth?

1. Is there any significant relationship between drug abuse and deviant behavior among youths in Akungba, Iwaro and Ikare communities in Akoko land in Ondo state?
   • RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

The following research hypotheses were formulated by the researcher in null and alternate form to aid the completion of the study;

H₀: There is no significant relationship between drug abuse and deviant behavior among youths in Akungba, Iwaro and Ikare communities in Akoko land in Ondo state

H₁: There is a significant relationship between drug abuse and deviant behavior among youths in Akungba, Iwaro and Ikare communities in Akoko land in Ondo state

H₀: drug abuse does not have any effect on Nigerian youth

H₂: drug abuse does have an effect on Nigerian youth

• SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

It is believed that at the completion of this study, the findings will be of great importance to the management of Nigerian drug law enforcement agency NDLEA and other government agencies saddle with the responsibilities of curbing drug and substance abused amongst the youth in the state. The study will also be of importance to the management of drug rehabilitation centers as the study seek to explore the factors that determine or propel drug abused so as to find a lasting solution to the menace. The study will also be of importance to researchers who intend to embark on a study in a similar topic as the findings of this study will serve as a reference point to further study. Finally, the study will be useful to students, teachers, academias, lecturers and the general public as the study will contribute to the pool of existing literature on the subject matter and also contribute to knowledge.

• SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The scope of the study covers the determinant of drug abuse among Nigerian Youth with emphasis on Akungba, Iwaro and Ikare communities in Akoko land in Ondo state. The scope of the study was limited to this three main communities because of other constrain that where beyond the researchers control and theses are;

 

1. a) AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study
2. b) TIME: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities and examinations with the study.
3. c) Finance: Limited Access to the selected to the required finance was a major limitation to the scope of the study as a result of the Covid-19 restriction.

1.8 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS

Youth: Is the period of time when someone is young especially the period when someone is a teenager is young, especially the time before a child becomes an adult”.

Drug:  an illegal substance that some people smoke, inject, etc. to give them pleasant or exciting feelings”.

Abuse: “It is the use of something in a way that is wrong or harmful. It is an excessive or inappropriate use of a drug by a person; such use being considered or judged to be illegal (immoral) by the culture and also resulting in harm to the person or society”.

Alcohol: “Drinks such as beer, wine, etc that can make people drunk or that colorless liquid that is found in drinks such as beer, wine etc and is used in medicines, cleaning product, etc”.

Alcoholism: “The use of alcohol that results or interferes with personal life including school, job, family, friends, health, food, the law or spiritual life”.

 1.8 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY

This research work is organized in five chapters, for easy understanding, as follows

Chapter one is concern with the introduction, which consist of the (overview, of the study), historical background, statement of problem, objectives of the study, research hypotheses, significance of the study, scope and limitation of the study, definition of terms and historical background of the study. Chapter two highlights the theoretical framework on which the study is based, thus the review of related literature. Chapter three deals on the research design and methodology adopted in the study. Chapter four concentrate on the data collection and analysis and presentation of finding.

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