CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
- BACKGROUND OF STUDY
Drug abuse and intake of hard drugs are capable of affecting the state of the body and mind by either depressing or stimulating the central nervous system or producing other biochemical harm to the society at large. The dependence or addiction is psychologically characterized by the compulsion to take drugs on a continuous or periodic basis in order to experience its mental effect. Drugs stimulate the nervous system of an individual to behave in abnormal and extra ordinary manner, leading such individual to lose his sense of being. The health implication is that the individual is acting on the influence of a cultivating factor such as tobacco, cocaine etc. Common incidence that happens around us today is on the influence of these stimulants and if care is not taken, could lead to mental disorder. The society of doctors and pharmacists frowned at the uncontrollable ways and manners in which the drugs are sold to the public in our markets and medical stores which are contributory factors to drug abuse.
The use of hard drugs by adolescent students in Nigerian colleges of education has become an embarrassing occurrence to parents, schools, government authorities, and the society at large. The constant abuse of drugs among this group of students can cause psycho-social problems in society. One may hope that this hateful practice and its associated problems would not lead to the breeding of deranged generation of youths. This fear is not speculative because of what happens to be the frequent and rampant drug crises in many Nigerian educational institutions.
Adolescence is a period of changeover from childhood to adulthood and this critical developmental period is marked by several physical, psychological and social changes. Adolescents are a segment of population with age range of 10-19. Most students in colleges of education in Nigeria are usually within the adolescent age range of 10-19 years (Olugbenga-Bello; Adebinpe; Abodurin, 2009). Adolescence is a time of experimentation, exploration, curiosity and identity search. Part of such a quest involves some risk-taking, including the use and abuse of psychoactive substances, which are the drugs that apply their major effects on the brain resulting in sedation, encouragement or change in mood of an individual. Adolescents are faced with the huge task of establishing a sense of identity. The new cognitive skills of maturing adolescents give them the ability to reflect on who they are and what makes them unique. Identity is made up of two components, self-concept and self-esteem (American Psychological Association, 2002). Self-concept is a set of beliefs about oneself, including attributes, roles, goals, interests, values, religious and political beliefs, while self-esteem is how one feels about one’s self-concept. All of the developmental changes that adolescents experience prepare them to experiment with new behaviours. This experimentation results in risk-taking, which is a normal part of adolescent development (Sue, et al, 2009). Engaging in risk-taking behaviour helps adolescents to shape their identities, try out their new decision-making skills and gain peer acceptance and respect (Ponton, 2009).
Unfortunately, some of the risk that adolescents take may pose a real threat to their health and well being. These include pregnancy, cigarette smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and drug abuse. Odejide (2000) posited that drug is said to be abused when its use is not pharmacologically necessary especially when used in the face of legal prohibition or when a socially acceptable beverage is used excessively. Sambo, (2008) viewed that chronic use of substances can cause serious and sometimes irreversible damage to adolescent’s physical and psychological development.
A drug refers to a substance that could bring about a change in the biological function through its chemical actions (Okoye, 2001). It is also considered as a substance that modifies perceptions, cognition, mood, behaviour and general body functions (Balogun, 2006). This could thus be considered as chemical modifiers of the living tissues that could bring about psychological and behavioural changes (Nnachi, 2007).
Drug abuse is a major public health problem all over the world (UNODC, 2005). The use and abuse of drugs by adolescents have become one of the most disturbing health related phenomena in Nigeria and other parts of the world (NDLEA, 1997). Several school going adolescents experience mental health problem, either temporarily or for a long period of time. Some become insane, maladjusted to school situations and eventually drop out of school. NAFDAC, (2004) as cited by Haladu (2003) explained the term drug abuse as excessive and persistent self-administration of a drug without regard to the medically or culturally accepted patterns. It could also be viewed as the use of a drug to the extent that it interferes with the health and social function of an individual. Odejide, (2000) warned that drug abusers who exhibit symptoms of stress, anxiety, depression, behavior changes, fatigue and loss or increase in appetite should be treated by medical experts and counselors to save them from deadly diseases.
It is imperative now, that the war against crime in society should start with fighting the use of drugs by our youths as people were likely to be law abiding and avoid crime if they were prevented from abusing drugs. Abuse of alcohol and drugs is a worldwide problem. The drugs commonly abused are heroin, cannabis, opium, and pharmaceutical preparations. Abuse of alcohol and tobacco in combinations with other drugs also is seen in many countries. Abuse of drugs not only poses a threat to the individual’s health but consequently gives rise to socioeconomic problems. Alcohol and drug abuse cause stress in a family and drain national resources.
The social implication of drug abuse in most cases is that an addict could experience the loss of their friends. Addiction often causes relationships to become strained, including those of friends and family. Emotions could run high in these relationships, which may cause some people to cut ties with the addict due to their behavior. Rapid social, economic and technological change may, under certain circumstances, weaken the sense of family and reduce the sense of belonging to other people, groups and places. Stability of relationships, environment and expectations is a powerful force in helping people manages their lives, especially important for children and young adults. In some societies, the classical problem of balancing discipline and control of children with nurturing support to encourage their exploration, understanding of the world and self-realization may be complicated by substance abuse problems as well as a wide range of other conditions.
The alarming evidence in the prevalence of drug abuse, the effects and consequences of substance abuse among students has called for concern and challenge to all helping professions to mount strategies of equipping youths with skills of living devoid of substance abuse. In Kwara State today, the consequences of substance use are diverse, including acute and chronic health, social as well as psychological problem. There is disruption of interpersonal relationships particularly within the family, marginalization, criminal behaviour, school failure, vocational problems and failure to achieve normal adolescent milestones, yet these adolescents are expected to be the leaders of the country in the future when they do not even have any focus for the future. Several studies carried out among junior secondary school students in Benin City Edo State by Omage and Oshiloya, (2006), Nwagwu, (1999), Fayombo, (2000) and Obianwu, (2005) found out that students and youth of easy virtue in the community are involved in cannabis abuse and stimulants such as amphetamines and cannabis. The consensus of opinion therefore seems to be that youths are also seriously involved in substance abuse. Drug abuse has become such a problem of great concern to all well meaning Nigerian and particularly the Federal Government to the extent that an Agency has been established to combat the social disease with a view to reducing the spread of drug abuse to the barest minimum or eradicating it totally.
The Nigerian National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has stated that substance abuse is a major problem in schools, colleges and universities in Nigeria (NDLEA, 2013). Many of these students’ behaviors are heavily tied to the peer culture, as students learn from and imitate the peers they like and admire. Wanting to be attractive to others becomes very important in adolescence, and this factor is significant in the development of eating disorders, alcohol consumption, tobacco and drug use, tanning, not practicing safe sex, and vulnerability to injury, among other behaviour. These adolescent who get involved in such risky behaviour often have high levels of conflict with their parents and poor self control, suggesting that they engage in such behaviour to manage a stressful life. Adolescents who abused substances typically do more poorly in academic. Parents and peers influence adolescent drinking by influencing attitude about alcohol and by acting as role models (Taylor, 2003).On the other hand, parental deprivation due to deaths, divorces, separation or discord has also been strongly associated with drug abuse (Odejide, 1997).
Most intuitively, alcohol and drug consumption may have some detrimental effects on pupils’ cognitive abilities, for instance, by decreasing their ability to concentrate. Concerning the indirect channels, drug and alcohol consumption may for instance be responsible for shifting individuals’ resources away from schooling. Additionally, it may undermine students’ progress by making them less likely to attend classes or keep up with their studies. Finally, psychologists argue that heavy drinking may lower individuals’ expectations about their academic performance (Deas et al, 2000). This effect could be driven by a shift in students’ peers when they engage in abusive alcohol consumption. Adolescent students discourteously depend on one form of drug or the other for their various daily activities such as social, educational, political, moral etc. such drug include tobacco, Indian hemp, cocaine , morphine, Heroine, Alcohol, Epherdrine, caffeine, Glue, Barbiturates etc. Oshikoya and Alli (2006) in their studies on perception of Drug Abuse amongst Nigerian undergraduates identified dependence and addiction as one of the major consequence of drug abuse, characterized by compulsive drug craving seeking behaviour, are use that persist even in the face of negative consequences. These changes are maladaptive and inappropriate to the social or environmental setting therefore may place the individual at risk of harm. Experiment with drugs during adolescence (11 – 25 years) is common. At this age, they use drugs for new things. They use drugs for many reasons including curiosity, because it feels good, to reduce stress, or to feel grown up. Using alcohol and tobacco at a young age increase the risk of using other drugs later.
In one of the WHO’s and the world heart foundation’s data, posit that in Nigeria, 22.1% of school youth age between 12 to 17 years use tobacco. Today, more Nigerian youths are becoming drug dependants, while Nigeria gradually transits from the status of a drug-consuming nation to that of a drug-producing one. Young ones who are mainly from well-to-do homes are increasingly identifying with the ‘big boys’ that practice the use of substance like heroin and cocaine. Others substances like Indian hemp, which is frequently produced in Nigeria and other substances like Methamphetamine and tablet with codeine capable of intoxicating are mostly found in schools (Staff, 2012).
Prevention of drug problems can employ knowledge about family dynamics to address personal and social concerns of family members that otherwise would lead to drug abuse, both with respect to dysfunctional as well as intact families. In this regard, it is important to avoid assuming "... either that parents are invariably responsible for the problems experienced by their children or that substance users can be blamed for all the problems experienced by the families in which they live".
- STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The future of any nation or society depends largely on the quality of her youths. It is therefore highly regrettable that our youths are exposed to the dangers inherent in drug abuse in their formative years. Drug abuse is a matter of grave consideration or attention to educational stakeholders and other professionals in various disciplines. Drug abuse is a local, national and international sensitive challenge that needs urgent attention due to the alarming rate of involvement of youth.
Drug abuse is a common phenomenon among secondary school students in Nigeria. It has also been noted that parents, peer groups, and society at large contribute to the alarming rate of drug. The secondary schools rampantly experience acts of vandalism, weapon carrying, alcohol abuse, rape, examination malpractices, school violence, strikes, bullying, cultism, truancy, and school drop-outs and other anti-social behavior. There is on redeemable juvenile delinquency and disobedience to teacher and school administrator. These have posed a threat in the administration and management of schools.
Illicit drug use is injurious to adolescent students in their academic performance. Today, there are estimated 1.5 million adolescent student drug users in Nigerian education sector. No academic institution in Nigeria is immune and no student really is (Alabi, 2012). Some adolescents are involved in use of illicit drugs because they want to reduce regular pressures around them. It symbolizes a protest against set rules, and to explore basic to self (Omage, 2005). The arrest by police, NDLEA and the news reports revealed that illicit drug use is on the increase. It is in this connection that this study examines the social and educational implication of drug abuse among junior secondary students in Etsako East LGA of Edo State.
- AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
The main aim of the study is to examine the social and educational implication of drug abuse among junior secondary students. Other specific objectives include:
1. to determine the influence of drug abuse among junior secondary students in Etsako East LGA of Edo state.
2. to examine the causes of drug abuse among junior secondary students in Etsako East LGA of Edo state.
3. to ascertain the extent of drug abuse among junior secondary students in Etsako East LGA of Edo state.
4. to examine the social implication of drug abuse among junior secondary students in Etsako East LGA of Edo state.
5. to identify the educational implication of drug abuse among junior secondary students in Etsako East LGA of Edo state.
6. to determine the commonly abused drugs among junior secondary students in Etsako East LGA of Edo state.
7. to identify the measures put in place to curb the abuse of drugs by junior secondary students in Etsako East LGA of Edo state.
8. to proffer solutions to the social and educational implication of drug abuse among junior secondary students in Etsako East LGA of Edo state.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTION
1. What is the influence of drug abuse among junior secondary students in Etsako East LGA of Edo state?
2. What are the causes of drug abuse among junior secondary students in Etsako East LGA of Edo state?
3. What is the extent of drug abuse among junior secondary students in Etsako East LGA of Edo state?
4. What is the social implication of drug abuse among junior secondary students in Etsako East LGA of Edo state?
5. What is the educational implication of drug abuse among junior secondary students in Etsako East LGA of Edo state?
6. What are the commonly abused drugs among junior secondary students in Etsako East LGA of Edo state?
7. What are the measures put in place to curb the abuse of drugs by junior secondary students in Etsako East LGA of Edo state?
8. What are the solutions to the social and educational implication of drug abuse among junior secondary students in Etsako East LGA of Edo state?
1.5 STATEMENT OF RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
1. H0: there is no social and educational implication of drug abuse among junior secondary students in Etsako East LGA of Edo state.
2. H1: there is social and educational implication of drug abuse among junior secondary students in Etsako East LGA of Edo state.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY
The study will be of benefits to schools guidance and counseling department on devising appropriate measures to dealing with students who abuse drugs.
The findings of this study will be used by policy makers in the education sector and also stake holders on formulating policies that will help in curbing the abuse of drugs by students at all level.
The study will also be used as an enlightening tool to the effect and implication of drug abuse especially as regards academic performance.
Lastly, the findings of this study will serve as an added knowledge on the social and educational implication of drug abuse among junior secondary students and will also be used as a research tool for further research by other researchers on further study on the subject matter.
1.7 SCOPE OF STUDY
The scope of study will cover the social and educational implication of drug abuse among junior secondary students in Etsako East LGA of Edo state.
1.8 LIMITATION OF STUDY
1. Financial constraint- Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
2. Time constraint- The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.
1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Social: relating to society or its organization.
Educational: relating to the provision of education.
Implication: the conclusion that can be drawn from something although it is not explicitly stated.
Drug abuse: The use of illegal drugs or the use of prescription or over-the-counter drugs for purposes other than those for which they are meant to be used, or in large amounts. Drug abuse may lead to social, physical, emotional, and job-related problems.
