Effect Of Substance Abuse Among Youths In Ilorin Metropolis Of Kwara State
[A CASE STUDY OF SANGO AREA]

  In the same vein, marijuana still remains the drug/substance largely used by youths and it is also the most controversial of all the popular drug/substances used by youths. It is derived from hemp. Another name for it is Harshish. Locally, marijuana has other names as “Igbo”, “Weewee” “gangh” “eja” etc. It is locally grown and processed, as noted, the use and abuse of marijuana among youths. The users smoke or eat the leaves of the marijuana plant to induce a general excitement or euphoria. Although not everyone responds to marijuana particularly for the first time they try it, the desired effects are euphoria and a variety of other agreeable sensations such as increased sexual feelings and changes in temperature, sensations on the skin, distortions of time and space perception that are not pleasant and an enhancement of appetite for food. The total effect of marijuana experience lasts from three to five hours after which the user feels lightly drowsy and hungry (Fantino 2002). Some negative effects of marijuana are, loss of memory, excessive bravery which lead to accident) loss of emotional control.
 Another form of drug/substance that is commonly abused by our youths is called heroine. According to Kinch (2005), this is derived from the grumming substance extracted from the opium poppy and it is powdery. Opium is prepared by boiling the gum opium and successfully filtering out the impunities. Depending on the process of preparation opium can be produced as a paste, powder, ingranules or in solution. It is known by different names in the addiction world and has various slangs or names such as horse, junk, smack, stuff tat, button, black stuff etc. According to Kinch (2005), heroine is either sniffed or injected; nasal use is called sniffing, subcutananeus injection skin popping and intravenous injection. After a minute or two of intravenous injection of heroine, the following occurs which some describe as similar to orgasm except that the sensation seems to be centered in the abdomen rather than in the genital region. The sensation is described as intensely pleasurable following. It is, the user feels fixed or gratified with no longer pain or sexual urges (Blim 1973). Users of heroine easily become psychologically and physically dependent on the drug/substance. Heroine suppresses hunger; most users therefore suffer from malnutrition. Women who take heroine have the additional burden of possible complications and medical problems during child birth. Again, women who are addicted to heroine often give birth to children who are smaller than average, have serious infections and high mortality rates. Some of the children are born addicted and develop withdrawal symptoms shortly after birth (Weisman, 2002).
Furthermore, cocaine is one of such drug/substances classified as stimulant. It is extracted from the leaves of coca plant and like heroine, cocaine is a powdery substance usually white. Naturally, potent stimulant cocaine has been found to be most addictive of all drug/substances. Cocaine may be sniffed (smoked) or as a powder (snow) or injected, intravenously either alone or in combination with heroine. The later combination is known as “speed ball” and it is the most common form of cocaine used (Weisman 2002). Usually taken by snuffing, the euphoria that follows is short lived which is why users take it at short intervals. Say every 10 minutes. Taking the drug/substance at close intervals according to Weisman (2002) causes hallucinations, confusions, loss of co-ordination, tremors and convulsive movement. Apart from that, an overdose can cause delirium, increase reflexes, violent and manic behavior, convulsions and death. Other effects include lung and heart damage, malnutrition and paranoia.