CAUSES OF DRUG ABUSE & IT'S EFFECTS AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

CAUSES OF DRUG ABUSE & IT'S EFFECTS AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Drug abuse being, an extreme desire to obtain and use increasing amount of one or more substance, this include alcohol, nicotine, marijuana, cigarettes, codeine and other substances which are harmful to the health of the individual. When considering drug abuse one should be able to differentiate it from drugs dependence or drugs addiction, which is the physical dependence on drugs to function. Drug abuse is a deliberate in-take of drugs for purposes other than its intended purpose without the supervision of a physician or a medical practitioner while drug addiction is the continuous uncontrolled, compulsive use of a drug not only to include intoxication but also to avoid the tortures of withdrawal. Despite the unrelenting effort of individuals, agencies, mass media and the government at different levels against drug abuse, the prevalent practice among secondary school students, and even adults in the community has not reduced but on the increase geometrically.

According to Ajayi and Ayodele (2002), drug abuse is the wrong use or inappropriate use of chemical substances that are capable of changing functions of cells in the body. Bayer, as cited in Egbochuku and Akerele (2007), saw stimulants, which are substances that cause an increase in the activity of an organ in the body, as chemicals that excite certain activities of the central nervous system. Ajayi and Ekundayo (2010) also saw drug abuse as over-dependence and misuse of one particular drug with or without a prior medical diagnosis from qualified health practitioners.

Scholars tends to question who falls victims to drug abuse, which brought the conclusion that anyone can be a victim of drug abuse irrespective of age, social groups and genders.