CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Substance abuse is a social problem that has spread and increased rapidly in our educational institutions especially among university students. In Nigeria, this social maladaptation is considered an issue of serious concern as it adversely affects the lives and performance of students involved as well as the peaceful functioning of the entire structure of the society. Substance abuse is an emerging global public health issues, it is a situation when drug is taken more than it is prescribed. According to World Health Organization (WHO, 2022) a drug is a substance used for medical purposes that changes the state or functions of the body. The abuse of these drugs can happen when people use the drugs in a manner other than as directed by the manufacturer. Fareo (2014) posited that substance abuse is the indiscriminate use of drugs by selfadministration for non - medical purposes such that the physical, mental, emotional or social state of the user is adversely affected. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has expressed concern over the increasing level of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking among Nigerian youths. According to the NDLEA (2020), the situation had been worsened by the affordability of the substances such as cough syrups, lizard wastes, gums and cannabis sativa popularly known as Indian hemp. Considering the delicate and sensitive position of the youth within the country, drug addiction among them remains a major threat to national growth and development. Environmental influence, especially during childhood, is a very important factor in drug addiction. Parents or older family members who abuse alcohol or drugs, or who engage in criminal behaviour can increase children‟s risk of developing their own drug problems.

Adegboro (2014) noted that friends and acquaintances also have an increasingly strong influence during adolescence. As Nigeria goes through rapid speed of urbanization, majority of Nigerian students are unable to adjust to their changing environment coupled with bad governance and economic recession. Consequently, such students become victims of a disordered life and this might lead to substance abuse. According to Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS, 2022), youth unemployment rate in Nigeria is 68%, but realistically, 80% of Nigerian youths are unemployed with university graduates mostly found among the unemployed rural population accounting for about half of this figure.

According to the world drug report of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC, 2019), 271 million (5.5%) of the global population (aged between 15 and 64 years) are into drugs while Nigeria alone with a population of over 218,601,314 million as estimated by the United Nations (UN) on July 1, 2022 battles with 14.4% drug abuse prevalence (Ogunsola & Fatusi, 2016). This is a global epidemic which has become a matter of great concern to educational stakeholders, medical practitioners, counsellors, religious leaders, mass media, parents and guardians. It is a sensitive nation-wide challenge that needs urgent attention due to the alarming rate of involvement of young people, especially the youth. Substance abuse is becoming increasingly widespread in many African countries. In Nigeria, a substantial percentage of the national budgetary health allocation is utilized for treatment and rehabilitation of people with substance use problems (Adeleke, 2017).

Industrialization, urbanization and increased exposure to western life style have contributed to the spreading of substance use in Nigeria, with alcohol and tobacco acting as gateway drugs to the use of other substances like cocaine, heroin, amphetamine, inhalants and hallucinogens (Abiodun, Ololube & Akindele, 2014). Factors like unhealthy family background, high social class, peergroup influence, desire to remain awake at night, pressure to succeed in academic work, self-reported poor mental health, and easy accessibility of drugs have also been implicated. Alemika (2018) noted that substance abuse is a major problem in our schools. For instance, more than 5% of the school population in Lagos state, Nigeria had taken a psychoactive drug once in their lives. Many of these behaviours are heavily tied to the peer culture, as children learn from and imitate the peers they like and admire.

Substance abuse as reported by Idris (2016) is the wrong use of drugs for purposes other than medical reasons, thus affecting the individual in a negative way socially, cognitively or physically. Social effects may be reflected in an individual’s enhanced tendency to engage in conflicts with friends, teachers and school authorities while the cognitive effects of drugs may be the individual’s lack of concentration on academic work and memory loss. Drug is 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. Despite National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and other organization-based interventions, substance abuse is on the rise with over 40% of students abusing various types of drugs. Substance abuse appears to be a common behaviour among university students.

In public spaces, students who have dropped out of school because of substance abuse, can be found loitering and participating in other forms of criminal activities (Akinyemi, 2016). Substance abuse sometimes undermines moral restraints and encourages deviant or criminal behaviour, especially among youth (Chilo, 2018). Obarisiagbon and Ajayi (2019) found that substance abuse is an important determinant of risky sexual behaviour among youths.

The readiness or willingness of an individual to demonstrate decent and good conduct, respect for authority, high sense of responsibility, love for orderliness, eagerness to discharge duties with promptitude and efficiency makes an individual a normal person. When an individual fails to discharge these characteristics, maladaptive behaviour is said to have occurred. Maladaptive behaviour is a shift away from age long appropriate behaviour which significantly affects individual growth and societal development. That is, any behaviour tagged maladaptive runs contrary to generally accepted pattern of behaviour for the age and environment of the individual and this behaviour negatively affects him and other persons around.

Substance abuse and study habit among university students cannot be overemphasized. Study habit refers to the way in which students’ study either systematically, efficiently or inefficiently. In line with what has been said above, we can deduce that good study habit will definitely yield positive study habit and achievement and also inefficient or poor study habit leads to academic failure. Students’ attitude and study habit towards any subject hasbeen described as a function of passion coupled with their belief on that particular which has a long way to go on their study habit.

In Nigeria, many factors have been highlighted to influence the ability of students to cultivate effective and efficient study habit. Such factors include; state of health, motivation, anxiety and state of mind, conducive and suitable environment for studying, availability of textbooks and well equipped libraries. In a research carried out by (Nuthana&Yenagi,2009) the causes of poor academic performance among Nigeria students were thoroughly examined. In which some of these factors identified include; low student’s intellectual ability, achievement motivation, lack of goals, low self-esteem, low socio-economic status of the family, poverty and poor study habit as a major factor.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The problems associated with study habits might have a major effect on a student’s academic performances, it is believed that everyone has a different study habit and it is important to findout the best personal way to study. Studying with friends has a long way to go in student’s study habits, it has a positive influence in which they discuss what have been read together but also has a negative effect in which they might not read but discuss throughout the stipulated time for reading which boils down to time wastage.

        In most Nigerian universities most of the students engage themselves in substance abuse like the use of hard drugs, cannabis etc. most of them have become addicted that if they do not take these substances they will not able to concentrate to study or attend lecture. Because of this if they do not have access to hard drugs they might not be able to study.

1.3 AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The study seeks to determine the effect of substance abuse on the study habits of vertinary students at Benue state University. The objectives of the study are:

1. To determine the relationship between substance abuse and study habit among vertinary students in Benue state University
2. To determine the causes of substance abuse among vertinary students in Benue state University
3. To determine the effect of substance abuse on study habit among vertinary students in Benue state University
4. To ascertain the preventive measures to curb the menace of substance abuse among among vertinary students in Benue state University

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The research questions are:

1. What is the relationship between substance abuse and study habit among vertinary students in Benue state University?
2. What are the causes of substance abuse among vertinary students in Benue state University?
3. What is the effect of substance abuse on study habit among vertinary students in Benue state University?
4. What are the preventive measures to curb the menance of substance abuse among among vertinary students in Benue state University

1.5 STATEMENT OF THE HYPOTHESIS

H0: there is no significant relationship between substance abuse and study habit among vertinary students in Benue state University

H1: there is significant relationship between substance abuse and study habit among vertinary students in Benue state University

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The importance of this study is to provide resource materials for many that want to have deeper knowledge abou8t the causes, effect and control of drug abuse.

        This research work will encourage organization like NAFDAC, NDLEA, health organizations like WHO, SHE and government parastatals to establish drug rehabilitation centres to help victims of drug abuse.

        Moreso, the significance of this study is to outline its health implication amongst university students, which will be centred on the following:

1. To identify the causes of drug abuse among university students.
2. To help reduce the hazard of drug abuse to minimum and to enlighten the teachers on how to educate their students and the society at large.
3. To reduce the incidence of rape among university students.
4. To alert the government on how to control the abuse of drugs since the short term and long term effects are disastrous.

1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The study covers on the effect of substance abuse on the study habits of vertinary students at Benue state University

1.8 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

This study on the impact of study habit on academic performance of students will cover various approaches to study and its effect on the academic performance of students.

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).

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

STUDY: application of the mind to the acquisition of knowledge, as by reading, investigation or reflection

HABIT: an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE: The use of illegal drugs or the use of prescription or over-the-counter drugs or alcohol for purposes other than those for which they are meant to be used, or in excessive amounts. Substance abuse may lead to social, physical, emotional, and job-related problems.