DRUG ABUSE AND STUDENTS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCES IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF STUDY

Drug abuse is assuming an epidemic dimension. It has become one of the central issues of our time. Parents, teachers and various bodies concerned as well as government are now disturbed more than ever before by the rapid and alarming rate at which youth are being drawn into drug subculture. According to Agubike (1990). Drug abuse is defined as “the use of drug above the prescribed dosage and for purpose other than the original prescription” drug abuse is also the use of illicit drugs, or the abuse prescription. Furthermore, drug on its own is a chemical that influence or modifies the action of body’s own chemistry, in other words, it’s any substance which when taken modifies the body function. Unfortunately, most people ignore such medical advice or direction but indulge in drug abuse or misuse. Drug may be in the class of family of 1. Stimulant such as tobacco, cocaine or coffee. 2. Depressants such ass alcohol and other subclass of depressant as heroin, morphin, opion and it’s derivatives 3. Hallucinogens. Accuse of an SSS3 student in western boys high school (2), Benin as an example in one of the secondary school in ikpoba okha local government area, can be used to exemplify some of the popular side eect of drug abuse this boy, as I was told by one of the teacher that he smoked Indian hemp and started behaving in almost abnormal manner.

Apart from shouting on top of his voice and fighting with his classmates, the headmistress failed to bring him to order, when she tried because he bluntly refused to obey her, the boy’s refusal to ever recognize the presence of the headmistress as he boasted and beat his chest that not even God could make him stop what he was doing. It therefore took a combine effort of the policemen and other members of staff to bundle the boy away from the school. Among other effect of drug abuse can be identified by having mental problems, trembling hands, damage of the brain and also profuse sweating and headaches. The Lagos weekend revealed that the real problem as far as drug abuse is concerned is within individual family obligation that the end of drug abuse is far from near, also the report further disclosed that two strong parent who function well with family circle can offset the many negatives encountered by their children outside. Parent as guardian and teachers as character molder have a major role to play in the general upbringing of the child when they discover that a child is already utilizing drug they should do everything to discourage the child from consumption of drugs. Closer attention should be paid on the child’s welfare through monitoring the child’s activities and type of friend the child moves with. With the family as the launching base, the war on drug abuse could then be extended to the larger society with effective programme base upon accurate information. It will require several basic ingredients such as education of the public at large, prevention, campaign and the willingness of all to face every aspect of the problem.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS

The main problem of this study is to investigate the effect of drug abuse among students of secondary school in Ikpoba Okha local government area Edo state. The prevalence of drugs consumption among post primary school student are on the increase in our environment. It is reported in studies that the effect of these menace is responsible for deviant behaviour, juvenile delinquency, abscoundnment from school etc. This study will therefore investigate if the causes of drug abuse among student in secondary, the effect on their academic performance in school in the study area.