Drug abuse is that social evil which has ruined many a lives and is gradually on the rise. The youth has been affected by it the most. The composition deals with the ill effects of drugs and why one must keep away from it.
Drugs are any chemical substance that affects the functioning of living things and the organisms such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses that infect them. Pharmacology, the science of drugs, deals with all aspects of drugs in medicine, including their mechanism of action, physical and chemical properties, metabolism, therapeutics, and toxicity
Drug abuse is the intake of unprescribed substances into the body. These substances could be taken in form of self injection, substances inhale,swallow, snorting, suppositories and other forms of abuse. Substances include but not limited to alcohol, cigarettes, caffeine, inhalants, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, Methadone, oxycodone, Tramadol, codeine, Morphine, chemicals, cannabis or marijuana, opiates, heroin, stimulants like methamphetamines and cocaine, hallucinogens.
Drug abuse is one social evil which can destroy the society vitals. It can make it weak and hollow as it nibbles gradually and slowly at the quality of human resources. The intake of excessive drug have negative impact on the people today. Self injection, sniffing, and also intake of the substances has become new normal. Speaking of substances, these are the use of drugs in amounts that are harmful to the body. Drug abuse could also be drug addiction that is, the urge to always take in drugs either in sickness or in good health.
Over the years, deaths have been recorded due to the intake of hard drugs, ranging from marijuana, cocaine, nicotine, tramadol and even the general paracetamol we all know. Some person abuse the intake of paracetamol because it helps relieve them of stress which is a bad reason to take drug.
People do not just go into drugs, they’ve been some reasons as to why individuals take pride in drug intake.
Why people abuse drugs include;
POVERTY, when people no longer have the means to fend for themselves, they go into depression which they feel is only drugs that can make them feel better.
PEER PRESSURE, that is the need to feel among because some persons will want to act like their friends, trying to show off their capabilities in taking drugs.
UNEMPLOYMENT. The idle mind, they say is the devil’s workshop,most persons into the drugs are jobless and they use this these drugs to keep themselves busy.
DEPRESSION, With the current state of the country, Nigerians are going through a lot, so some persons take drug to help relieve them of their sorrows and sadness
Now how can we curb the high rate of drug abuse in the Society? This menace of drugs can be tackled by educating children at home and in schools about drugs. They need to be made aware of the ill effects of drugs so that they can make a conscious decision of avoiding this problem. It is common knowledge that very often young children get into this habit because of the influence of their friends and the desire to become a part of the so called fashionable, liberal and modern society.
Thus, youth has to be trained to make the right choices, learn to resist temptations and not succumb to peer pressure – all this boils down to the responsibilities of parents and schools to lay a strong foundation of moral character and discipline.
Moreso, there should be availability of jobs for the youths so they will be kept busy which will help keep the thought of drugs away.
Government should make sure the drug distribution agency is sanitized and Access to dangerous drug is restricted. With these and more ,the society will be a peaceful and drug free one, let us all join our hands together to say No to drug abuse.
– Ramat Jumai Mohammed.
300 Level, Mass Communication Department,
Prince Abubakar Audu University, Anyigba, Kogi state
