High Rate Of Drug Abuse Amongst Youths In Nigeria -By Paul Sulbe

Drug abuse among youths in Nigeria is a significant concern that needs a serious tackling, with substances like marijuana, codeine, tramadol, and cocaine being commonly abused. The Factors contributing to this issue includes peer pressure, unemployment, poverty, and easy access to drugs.

Efforts to address this problem involve education, community outreach, rehabilitation programs, and law enforcement measures. However, the issue persists highlighting the need for comprehensive and sustainable interventions at various levels of society.

Drug abuse has become a disheartening and devastating issue that keep lingering in society today due to nonchalant attitudes, and adamant ear from the NDLEA, and other sector that regulates and monitoring the affairs of drugs in Nigeria. Family also have a major role to play in terms of drug abuse among youth to suppress the activities of their children not to involve in such act of their daily activities while associating with peer group.

You understand that most youth were ordered, managed at home but immediately they secure admission into higher institution they begin to live I don’t care life by associating with different set of people and by doing so influencing them in drugs, like cocaine, and other hard drugs that make them abnormally and become haggard and tattered, in fact some of them may not take their academic activities serious and end up expelled from school or dropping out.

Drug abuse has caused more harm in our society than good to a point that those that their brain can’t accommodate the gravity of the substance will end up been mad. Addressing drug abuse is a multifaceted challenge that requires a comprehensive approach.

Some key strategies include:

Prevention: Implementing education and awareness programs in schools and communities to inform people about the risks and consequences of drug abuse.

Treatment: Providing accessible and effective treatment options, including behavioral therapies and medication-assisted treatment, for individuals struggling with drug addiction.

Support: Establishing support networks and community resources for individuals in recovery to help them maintain sobriety and reintegrate into society.

Regulation: Enforcing strict regulations on the production, distribution, and sale of drugs to reduce availability and curb illicit drug markets.

Collaboration: Fostering collaboration between government agencies, healthcare providers, law enforcement, community organizations, and other stakeholders to develop coordinated responses to drug abuse.

Addressing underlying issues: Identifying and addressing underlying factors such as poverty, trauma, mental health disorders, and social inequalities that contribute to drug abuse.

Harm reduction: Implementing harm reduction strategies such as needle exchange programs and supervised injection sites to minimize the negative consequences of drug use on individuals and communities.

Combining these approaches can help mitigate the impact of drug abuse and support individuals in leading healthier, drug-free lives.

In believe with this point of mine drug abuse menace will be subsidize or even eliminated amongst youths in Nigeria and across the globe.

Paul Sulbe writes from Mass communication department Abubakar Tatari Ali polytechnic Bauchi and can be reached via Gmail:
paulsulbe@gmail.com