THE IMPACT OF TOXIC DRUGS AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Many years have passed, and the subject of drug usage and other toxic substances among students, adolescence, and adults is believed to be a burning one in human history. Many researchers and authors have identified numerous detrimental effects among children who use drugs, such as HIV/AIDS, school absenteeism, disruptive conduct, low academic performance, and other deviant behaviors (Davis, 2001).According to (UNDCP, 2005), practically every country in the world experiences the same repercussions as a result of the harm caused by drug usage.

The WHO estimated that billions of people in the world, or one-third of the total population over the age of 14, had consumed so-called tobacco, in the form of cigarettes, with 700 million of these smokers being males, and unfortunately, these people were reported to be living in developing countries (WHO, 2004). Furthermore, it has been observed that smoking usually leads to the use of hard and toxic drugs (Ronald & Davis, 2011).

In general, drugs are beneficial when used properly and harmful when misused or abused, but most youth are substance abusers (Mohammad, 2014). Illicit drug use is a major public health issue in high-income countries such as the United States. However, the problem of illicit substance use has rapidly spread to include middle and low income countries, where the majority of their youth and adolescents are actively involved in this illegal practice (Aliyu, 2014; Mohammad, 2014).

The intake of substance or toxic drug is a medical, social, cultural, and other variable problem that is not solely medical or moral in nature. According to Schmelleger (2002), people accept the use of certain substances or drugs under certain conditions as a benign and even beneficial practice because of their social and individual circumstances. The use of drugs such as Benylin with codeine, Tutolin with codeine, for medical purposes such as whooping cough is not drug abuse; it only becomes abuse when it is geared toward producing desired behaviors, physical dependency, addiction, and/or constituting a nuisance to society.

Unfortunately, the majority of victims are Nigerian youth, who constitute the manpower and future of the country (Abdullahi, 1991). According to the Federal Ministry of Youths and Sport, Nigerian youths aged 10 to 30 account for around 49 percent of the country's population. According to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (2010), more than 38% of Nigerian youths take drugs. According to Abang (2006), several categories of youngsters (both male and female) in contemporary Nigeria are addicted to substance/drug misuse. This includes an incredible number of primary and secondary school students, university students, servicemen, cattle ranchers, unemployed, nurses, pharmacists, and even medical doctors. According to Abdullahi (2005), substance/drug misuse contributes to a high rate of crime, fuels conflict, political thuggery, religious intolerance, raping, domestic violence, suicide, and other societal problems. It also has an impact on the psychological and physical well-being of abusers.

Similarly, (Masibo, et al.,2013), stated that toxic drugs dependent adolescents can change their friends simply to include drinking and drug using friends, and once in such a situation, they gradually lose all self-esteem and depression begins to set in; however, addicts are affected in a variety of ways depending on the type of drug abused.  According to a study on cigarette use conducted by (Henning et al, 2004), cigarettes contain nicotine, which has demonstrated dose-related euphoric effects similar to those of cocaine and morphine, and their research revealed that some children became addicted to cigarettes at any age, and the use of cigarettes was found to cause the worst of all drug habits found in tobacco smoking.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Marijuana consumption is said to be widespread in Africa, according to (UNDCP, 2002). Beyond 25 million consumers constituted 5.8 percent of the adult population, compared to the global average of 3.4 percent of the adult population. On the African continent, it was reported that 61 percent of people who were treated for drug abuse had serious psychological disorders, and the majority of them were cannabis users, with two-thirds of them being youth.

Toxic drugs abuse is still one of the world's major problems, with millions of people, particularly young people, abusing legal and illegal drugs (Oluwale, Olatunji, & Olufunlayo, 2011). (Jag, Glenn, Elinore, & Ellen, 2008). According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, approximately 110 million Americans aged 12 and older (46 percent) used at least one illicit drug in their lifetime, including amphetamines, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana (cannabis) (SAMHSA, 2013).

Individuals, families, friends, and society are all negatively impacted by substance abuse on physical, psychological, and social levels (Mohammad, 2014). Medical problems, academic problems, conflicts, crime, financial problems, psychological disorders, and an increase in occultism are among the negative consequences of substance abuse, according to Ahmad (2012). Substance abuse among adolescents has the potential to lead to academic difficulties as well as social and employment problems later in life (Usman & Usman, 2012). A study conducted in Minna, Niger State (Nigeria), revealed a link between drug abuse and violence, prompting politicians to use the youth to incite violence for political gain. As a result, young people, particularly in Nigeria's north, are more likely to engage in substance abuse (Usman & Usman, 2012).

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE PROBLEM

The main aim of this study is to examine the impact of toxic drugs among university students. Specifically, this study will be focused on but not limited:

i.          To determine the causes of toxic drugs usage among University students in Nigeria.

ii.        To examine the level of usage of toxic drugs among university students in Nigeria.

iii.      To determine the impact of toxic drugs usage on the academic performance of university students in Nigeria.

iv.      To determine ways to end the toxic drugs scourge among university students in Nigeria.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions will be answered b this study

i.          What are the causes of toxic drugs usage among University students in Nigeria?

ii.        What is the level of usage of toxic drugs among university students in Nigeria?

iii.      What are the impacts of toxic drugs usage on the academic performance of university students in Nigeria?

iv.      What are the ways to end the toxic drugs scourge among university students in Nigeria?

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This research will be beneficial to the policy makers as it will show ways in which the toxic drugs scourge among university students in Nigeria thus enabling them to make effective policies that will end the scourge. This study will also be of benefit to the society as it will show the impacts of toxic drugs uptake by university students.

Finally, this work will be of great benefit to scholars and researchers as it will serve as an existing material for further studies and future research.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study will be focused on examining the impact of toxic drugs among university students. It will also specifically be focused on determining the causes of toxic drugs usage among University students in Nigeria, examining the level of usage of toxic drugs among university students in Nigeria, determining the impact of toxic drugs usage on the academic performance of university students in Nigeria and determining ways to end the toxic drugs scourge among university students in Nigeria.

This study will be using students from the University of Lagos as enrolled participants for the survey.

1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

This study will be limited to examining the impact of toxic drugs among university students. It will also specifically be limited to determining the causes of toxic drugs usage among University students in Nigeria, examining the level of usage of toxic drugs among university students in Nigeria, determining the impact of toxic drugs usage on the academic performance of university students in Nigeria and determining ways to end the toxic drugs scourge among university students in Nigeria.

This study will be using students from the University of Lagos as enrolled participants for the survey and thus will need further research if this study is to be used elsewhere.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Impact: a marked effect or influence

Toxic drugs: Toxicity refers to how poisonous or harmful a substance can be.

University students: a student enrolled in a college or university.

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