PREVALENCE OF DRUG ABUSE AMONG
STUDENTS OF SOME SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Background of the study
The degree of indiscipline in schools nowadays
has become worrisome that the norms and values of society has been battered.
The school as an institution to transform and pass on the culture and value of
society from one generation to another has now been filled with different kind
of indiscipline acts among the students which include violence, truancy,
prostitution, cultism, drug abuse just to mention a few. The existence and
extent of drug abuse has been identified as one of the greatest problem in
learning institutions (Faturoti, 2016). This affects various aspects of
learning such as student’s discipline and interest in learning hence affecting
academic performance particularly among secondary school students.
A
drug may be defined as any illicit substance that when swallowed, smoked,
sniffed or injected influences the function and operation of the body system.
It is any substance other than food, which by its chemical nature affects the
structure and function of a living organism. Lewinsohn (2007) defined a drug as 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 of people. Joseph (2016) defied a drug as chemicals tap
into the brain communication system and disrupt the way nerve cells normally
send, receive and process information.
Drug abuse is the use
of drugs for purposes other than medical reasons, thus affecting the individual
in a negative way socially, cognitively or physically (Kuria, 2010). The use of
alcohol, tobacco and other substances constitutes one of the most important risk–taking
behaviour among
adolescents
and young adults in secondary schools (Oshodi,
Aina & Onajole, 2010). Despite worldwide concern and education about
psychoactive drugs,
many adolescents have limited awareness of their adverse consequences. Most often the
adolescents and young
adult
individuals start by experimenting with the so called “gateways drugs” such
as tobacco, alcohol and marijuana.
Drug abuse can lead to a decline in
the overall academic performance of a school. As a result schools may face
declining retention rates and poor reputation. Schools with reputation of ‘drug
abuse’ may attract students who engage in high-risk behaviors and may
discourage prospective students who are looking for an academically vigorous
institution (Muusya, 2015). Drug
abuse remains a major health challenge all over the world (UNODC, 2005). Haladu
(2003) describes drug abuse as excessive and persistent self-administration of
a drug without regard to medically or culturally acceptable patterns. Odejide
(2010) posited that a drug is said to be abused when its use is not
pharmacologically necessary especially when it’s used in face of legal
prohibition or when socially acceptable beverage is used excessively. Drug
abuse may lead to organized crimes and disruption of normal academic
programmes.
Oshikoya
and Alli (2006) identified dependence and addiction as one of the major
consequence of drug abuse, characterized by compulsive drug craving seeking
behaviours even in the face of negative consequences. Maithya (2009) revealed
that the common reasons for drug abuse amongst secondary school students are
mostly out of curiosity and acceptance by friends (peer pressure). Nyki (2015)
indicated that cannabis abusers are mostly young Nigerian men, including students,
who have been deprived of parental supervision and warmth from infancy.
Awoyinfa (2012) argued that the very high rate of drug abuse among students in
secondary in Nigeria began from their childhood or early adolescence. At times
youth, including students, who hawk for their parents, are themselves exposed
to drug abuse. Despite the effort of many concerned bodies to curb this menace,
many organizations and individuals still present these drugs as though they are
harmless which often lure irrational secondary school students into drugs abuse.
Drug abuse is a matter of great concern to educational
stakeholders, medical practitioners, sociologists, religious leaders,
counselors and parents. It is a national and international sensitive challenge
that needs urgent attention due to the alarming rate of involvement of the
youth. Ajake, Isangedihi and Bisong (2009) pointed out that drug abuse
constitute social ills that have been age-long problems in the secondary school
system. Ajayi and Ekundayo (2010) opined that drug abuse has been identified as
a serious constraint to effective teaching and learning process in the Nigerian
educational system. Egbochuku and Akerele (2007) perceived stimulants, which
are substances that cause an increase in the activity of an organ in the body,
as chemicals that excite certain activities of the central nervous system.
Oshodi, Aina and Onajole (2010)
reported that despite worldwide concern and education about psychoactive
substances, many adolescents have limited awareness of their adverse
consequences. Social pressure and peer group influence are noted to be primary
reasons for substance misuse. Aina and Olorunsola (2008) lamented that a
substantial percentage of the national budgetary allocation is utilized for
treatment and rehabilitation of people with drug use problems in Nigeria. In an
attempt to control sleep or energise themselves, most adolescents and young
ones start experimenting with tobacco, alcohol, ephedrine and other caffeinated
substances such as Nescafe and red bull. Some of the reasons for the drug abuse
among secondary school students include reducing pain, anxiety and tension,
ignorance and misinformation, parental background, urge to commit crimes, peer
group influence, isolation and loneliness. Drug abuse has become a threat to
the lives and success of the youth. This is evidently a source of sorrow to the
parents, guardians and relatives. It is also a big challenge to the whole nation.
Statement
of the problem
Drug abuse is a social
ill that is of public health importance. It is estimated that the average
annual retail cost of psychotropic substances in Nigeria is more than USD
$15,000, while alcoholic beverages, aside from spirit, generate more than USD
$30,000 from sales to a consumer population of about 30 to 35 million people
(Onoja, 2010). The alarming incidence of drug abuse among secondary school
students as a contributory factor in the ugly confrontation between school administrators
and students; parental use of substances has been implicated as a risk factor
for drug abuse by secondary school students. There seem to be an increasing
prevalence of drug abuse amongst secondary school students despite the efforts
of concerned bodies to curb this menace. It was observed by the researcher that
parents, peer groups and society at large contribute to the alarming rate of
drug. And if the problems persist the effects will be too enormous to withstand
for the parent, teachers, education planner, government at all level, education
agency and students themselves. Thus, the researcher is stimulated to
investigate the prevalence of drug abuse among students of some selected
secondary schools in Akure South local government area of Ondo State.
Purpose
of the study
The
purpose of this study is to investigate the prevalence of drug abuse among
students of some selected secondary schools in Akure South local government
area of Ondo State. Specifically this is designed to:
1.
find out the commonly abused drug among
students of some selected secondary schools in Akure South local government
area of Ondo State.
2.
find out the extent of drug abuse among
students of some selected secondary schools in Akure South local government
area of Ondo State.
3.
find out if age influence rate of drug
abuse among students of some selected secondary schools in Akure South local government
area of Ondo State.
4.
find out if socio-economic of parent
influence rate of drug abuse among students of some selected secondary schools
in Akure South local government area of Ondo State.
5.
find out the difference in the rate of drug abuse between male and
female students of some selected secondary schools in Akure South local
government area of Ondo State.
Significance
of the study
The findings of this
study will be useful to the students, teachers, school administrators,
government, society and curriculum planners.
This result of findings of this study will help all
students to appreciate the need to abstain from taking drugs that are not being
prescribed by the professional medical practitioners and enhance good healthy body
among students. Also, the study will
further help to reduce the indiscriminate use of drug and abuse among secondary
school students. The result of this study will serve as medium of orientation
to the students in reducing the growing rate of drug abuse among secondary
school students in Akure South local government area of Ondo State.
The finding of this study will help the teachers to develop
strategies and methods to monitor students within the school environment so as
to prevent the occurrence of drug abuse around the school environment.
This study will create awareness for the government
at all level and local community of the factors hindering the effectiveness of
the approaches which attempt to curb drug abuse and, where possible, create opportunities
to eradicate the problem.
The findings of the study will help the school
administrators in the development of strategies that will reduce and combat the
menace of drug abuse among the secondary school students.
Scope
of the study
The study will cover
the senior secondary school students within Akure South local government area
of Ondo State on the prevalence of drug abuse among students of some selected
secondary schools in Akure South local government area of Ondo State. The
research will involve the independent variable of prevalence of drug abuse which
include commonly abused drug, extent of drug abuse, age influence on the rate
of drug abuse, socio-economic of parent and gender difference while the
dependent variable will be secondary school students. The research instrument
for the study will be a self developed questionnaire and two (2) research
assistants who will be trained by the researcher will be used in administering.
The analysis of the data will be done using descriptive statistics of frequency
counts with percentage to analyse the bio-data of the respondents and
inferential statistics of chi-square (x2) and Pearson Product Moment
Correlation (PPMC) will be used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance.
Research
questions
The following research
questions will guide this study:
1.
What are the commonly abused drugs among
students of some selected secondary schools in Akure South local government area
of Ondo State?
2.
To what extent is the drug abused among
students of secondary schools?
3.
Does age influence rate of drug abuse
among secondary schools students?
4.
Does socio-economic of parent influence
rate of drug abuse among students in secondary schools?
5.
Does gender creates difference in the
rate of drug abuse among secondary school students?
Hypotheses
The following
hypotheses will be tested at 0.05 level of significance:
1.
There will be no significant difference commonly
abused drugs among students of some selected secondary schools in Akure South
local government area of Ondo State.
2.
There will be no significant difference on
the extent of drug abuse among students of some selected secondary schools in
Akure South local government area of Ondo State.
3.
The age will not significantly influence
rate of drug abuse among students of some selected secondary schools in Akure
South local government area of Ondo State.
4.
The parent socio-economic status will
not significantly influence the rate of drug abuse among students of some
selected secondary schools in Akure South local government area of Ondo State.
5.
The gender would not create significant
difference in the rate of drug abuse among students of secondary schools in
Akure South local government area of Ondo State.
CHAPTER
II
LITERATURE
REVIEW
This
chapter is concerned with the review of relevant literatures on the prevalence
of drug abuse among students of some selected secondary schools in Akure South
local government area of Ondo State. This review will be carried out under the
following headings;
·
Conceptual framework
·
Theoretical framework
·
Review of related empirical studies
Concept of drug
Concept
of drug abuse
Commonly abused
drugs among students of secondary school
Extent
of drug abuse among secondary school students
Age
in relation to the rate of drug abuse among secondary school students
Socio-economic
status of parent as predictor of rate of drug abuse among secondary school students
Gender difference
in the rate of drug abuse among secondary school students
Implications
of drug abuse on the academic achievement of secondary school students
Role
of school health programme in reducing the rate of drug abuse
·
Summary of literature review