Prevalence of Hard Drug use among youths in Anambra East LGA, Anambra state of Nigeria

Abstract

This study was on Prevalence of Hard Drug use among youths in Anambra East LGA,  Anambra state of Nigeria. The total population for the study is 200 residents in Anambra East. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made up students, youths, men and women were used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies.

 Chapter one

Introduction

The prevalence of health-risky behaviors associated with adolescent illicit drug use has attracted growing international recognition (Garvin et al., 2006). Unfortunately, adolescents and youth may underrate the harmful effects of unhealthy life styles (McMaster and Keshav, 1994). These unpleasant youthful activities are widespread in Nigeria and all over Africa, thus giving a lot of concern to the government and general public (Greene, 1980). Drug abuse remains a major health challenge all over the world (UNODC, 2005). Haladu (2003) describes drug abuse as excessive and persistent self-administration of a drug without regard to medically or culturally acceptable pattern.

The use of drugs for social rather than prescribed medical reasons has been well documented. The society regularly decries what they consider to be the evil consequences of drug use. Indeed nearly every deviant act in the community is directly or indirectly attributed to drug use. The United Nation 2016 World Drug Report estimated that 1 in 20 adults, or a quarter of a billion people between the ages of 15 and 64 years, used at least one psychoactive drug in 2014. Of these, over 29 million people worldwide suffer from drug use disorders Several works have noted that young people are ruining their lives through the misuse of drugs. A comparison with other third world countries reveals that Nigeria ranks among the highest users of dangerous drugs such as alcohol, tobacco, cannabis benzodiazepines, cocaine and opioids. A review of the literature clearly indicates that there has been a steady increase in the prevalence of drug use and its associated consequences within the last three decades. Almost all types of psychoactive substances are available in Nigeria due to their spill over into the streets from drug traffickers who use Nigeria as a conduit to transport drugs from South East-Asia (the Golden Triangle) and South America (Boliva, Peru, and Brazil) to Europe and North America.

The use of illicit drugs frequently starts among schoolchildren during adolescence. Surveys in the United Kingdom indicate that 5±20% of schoolchildren use drugs, with 2±5% using them weekly and with a peak prevalence at 14±16 years of age (2). illicit drugs, they include heroin, cocaine, cannabis, opium etc. When these are used it is said that drugs are abused because their uses are not for the purposes of treating, preventing and diagnosing diseases. Cigarette smoking is one of licit drugs which commonly abused by people. The main effect of using cigarette is nicotine which causes cancer of lungs, gangrene chest pain, death etc. Also alcoholism from the medical point of view indicates a disease caused by chronic, excessive drinking resulting to dependence on alcohol. Based on this background the researcher wants to investigate prevalence of hard drug use among youths in Anambra east LGA

Statement of the problem

Incidences of drug abuse and related anti-social behavior have tremendously increased in recent years. This has become a matter of concern to the government, parents, teachers, Non-governmental organizations and all other relevant agencies. It is more prevalent than parents suspect. Parents do not recognize the extent of drug use and as a result, some young people think they can use drugs with impunity.

Objective of the study

The objectives of the stud are;

1. To know the effect of hard drug among youth of Anambra East LGA
2. To find out the purpose of the hard drug taken by youth of Anambra East LGA
3. To find out the consequences of taking hard drug among youth

Research hypotheses

For the successful completion of the study, the following research hypotheses were formulated by the researcher;

H₀:   there is no effect of hard drug among youth of Anambra East LGA

H₁:  there is effect of hard drug among youth of Anambra East LGA

H₀²: there are no consequences of taking hard drug among youth

H₂: there are consequences of taking hard drug among youth

1.5 Significance of the study

 It is believed that at the completion of the study, the findings will be of benefit to the youth. The study will help to address the causes and also provide the remedies to the drug abuse among youth. The study will also be of great benefit to the researchers who intends to embark on research on similar topics as it will serve as a guide. Finally, the study will be of great importance to academia’s, lecturers, teachers, students and the general public.

 

Scope and limitation of the study

The scope of the study covers Prevalence of Hard Drug use among youths in Anambra East LGA,  Anambra state of Nigeria. The researcher encounters some constrain which limited the scope of the study;

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.

1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS

DANGER: Danger is the general word for liability to all kinds of injury or evil consequences, either near at hand and certain, or remote and doubtful: to be in danger of being killed. Hazard suggests a danger that. Peril usually denotes great and imminent danger: The passengers on the disabled ship were in great peril

DRUG ABUSE: Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, is a patterned use of a drug in which the user consumes the substance in amounts or with methods which are harmful to themselves or others, and is a form of substance-related disorder.

YOUTH: Youth is the time of life when one is young, but often means the time between childhood and adulthood (maturity). It is also defined as “the appearance, freshness, vigor, spirit, etc., characteristic of one who is young”

Prevalence: the fact or condition of being prevalent; commonness.

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.  Chapter five gives summary, conclusion, and recommendations made of the study

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