THE current trend of substance abuse especially among youths is a major national concern, as it has become troubling, and has derogatory effects on youth, such as health and behavioural problems, or even death. This is because substance abusing youth are at higher risk than non users for mental health problems, including depression, conduct problems, personality disorders, suicidal thoughts, attempted suicide and suicide.
It was therefore heartwarming, when the Delta State Government in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and other stakeholders, recently launched a state – wide campaign against drug abuse with the theme, “ No Drugs Healthy Living For A Greater Future”. A campaign geared towards implementation of an aggressive state wide awareness campaign against drug abuse starting from secondary schools across the state to be extended to institutions of higher learning.
The Director General of the State Orientation and Communications Bureau, Dr. Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, captured the essence of the programme during the launch, when he noted that the campaign is to create awareness about the dangers of drug abuse among young people, especially those in Secondary schools and higher institutions.
According to him, “ The rising wave of drug abuse among young people has become alarming. This campaign is a proactive approach to addressing the menace by educating, sensitizing and empowering youths with necessary knowledge and skills to make informed decisions about their health and well being “.
Different factors that may raise a young person’s risk for drug use includes; stressful early life experiences, such as child abuse, child sexual abuse, and other forms of trauma, genetics, parental exposure to alcohol or other drugs. The effects is that it predisposes the youth to a disease that may lead to early death, as well as academic difficulties, health related problems (mental health inclusive), poor peer relationships and involvement with the juvenile justice system. An epidemiological survey conducted on students by Federal Ministry of Education in Nigeria (1995) found out that 11% of the students have smoked cigarette while 5% have used cannabis.
Stimulants use and abuse behaviors are problems inducing, for instance, cases of thuggery, armed robbery, rape, cultism, violent demonstration, religious crisis, prostitution and restlessness among the youths, could be linked to the use/ abuse of psychoactive substances ranging from cigarettes, heroin, alcohol, marijuana and many more which unfortunately are readily available to Nigerians and have made the youths get involved in several social vices.
We are in support of the state government’s drive through the “ No Drugs Healthy Living For A Greater Future” campaign, to discourage the use and abuse of drugs among the youths particularly undergraduates in State’s tertiary institutions. This is because apart from the fact that young people who persistently abuse substances experience plethora of problems there are consequences for family members, the community and the entire society.
Beyond the state wide awareness campaign against drug abuse by the youths, the government should speed up the completion of the Kwale rehabilitation centre and possibly establish more to cover the three Senatorial districts in the state. While efforts should be made to ensure easy and affordable access to the rehabilitation centres, as well as the implementation of effective addiction counselling and prevention programmes.
Government should also put policies in place for a concerted effort to address the wider availability of drugs in the society, as well as establishment of skill acquisition facilities for affected young people. The availability of illicit drugs in the urban areas and communities in the state, requires an effective collaboration between the security agencies and members of the public to checkmate the activities of the suppliers of these dangerous substances to arrest the menace since the sellers live among the people.
