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The Danger Of Illicit Use Of Hard Drugs Among Youth In Tertiary Institutions
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
The history of human race has also been the history of drug abuse (Maithya, 2009). In itself, the use of drugs does not constitute an evil; in fact some drugs have been a medical blessing. (Maithya, 2009) Since, time in memorial earliest times, herbs, roots, bark leaves have been used to relieve pain and help control diseases. History tells us that the Chinese used Opium as a cure of dysentery before the 18thcentury. European countries such as Britain and Holland were known to exchange opium growth in their colonies for tea and silk with China (United Nations, 1995). Unfortunately, certain drugs that initially produce enticing effects, such as sense of feeling good, elation, serenity and power have evolved into a problem of dependence and abuse.
1.1.1 State of Drug and Substance Abuse: Global Perspective
Drug abuse is a global problem that poses a great danger to the lives of individuals, society and political stability and security in many countries (United Nations, 1998). According to the United Nations (2005), the use of illicit drugs has increased throughout the world and the major world trend is the increasing availability of many kinds of drugs among ever widening spectrum of consumers. Of major concern is that children seem to be targeted as the new market for the drug industry globally.
Drugs and substance abuse has become the focus of research and preventive activities in the developed countries for decades (Muyabo, 1996). A study carried out by the London School of Economics in 1980 on students learning behaviour revealed a relationship between drug abuse and poor academic results (Otieno, Balswick & Norland, 1994).Africa has not been spared from the abuse of drugs by the youth. The continent, over recent years has experienced an upsurge in the production, distribution and consumption of drugs with the youth and young adults being most affected (Asuni & Pela, 1986).
Africa has huge young and vulnerable populations which has become the target market for the illicit drug industry. This constitutes 56% of the population aged between 17-25 years, which constitutes youth in tertiary institution. In Ethiopia it is reported that 82 per cent of the street children in Addis Ababa use some kind of a drug (United Nations, 2013). Besides, the threat of increasing consumption of illicit drugs amongst the young people and children, South Africa is becoming a major transhipment point in the international drug trade as well as a major producer of Dagaa (Honwana & Lamb, 1998). Gilberto Gerra (2013), the chief of drug and preventive health branch at the United Nations office on drugs and crime pointed out that West Africa is completely weak in terms of boarder control, undermanned ports and the big drug cartels from Colombia and Latin America have chosen Africa as a way to reach Europe. The United Nations official (Gerra) added that when a country becomes a transit point it immediately becomes a consumption country.
According to the United Nations (UN) statistics 2013, 37,000 people in Africa die annually from diseases associated with drug abuse. The UN estimates that there 28 million drug users in Africa (United Nations, 2013). An International conference on drug abuse in Kampala 2013 reported that young people in consumption countries were the most vulnerable section of the population, especially those in the period of early and late adolescence who are mostly unable to resist peer pressure and start experimenting with drugs in schools or even outside school. The international conference on drug abuse in Kampala (2013) advocated for an immediate strong inventions to reverse the trend.
1.1.2 State of Drug and Substance Abuse in Nigeria
In Nigeria, reports of young peoples’ lives ruined by alcohol and drugs are rampant. The youth, especially, are vulnerable to the vice owing to peer pressure, media influence, poor guidance and role modelling (Kikuvi, 2009). This has taken root in schools leading to the high school drop outs and idleness. According to Amayo and Wangai (1994), drug consumption has led to unrest and widespread destruction of life and property in schools. Nigeria was ranked among the top four African Nations notorious for consumption of narcotics by the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (World report, 2005).
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