The Dangers of Drug Abuse

Airaodion, Augustine Ikhueoya

The word abuse is derived from the blending of two English words “abnormal” and “use”. The abnormal use of anything is what is referred to as the abuse of such a thing.

A drug is the combination of medicinal substances formulated and prepared by Chemists and Pharmacists for the treatment of different illnesses, ailments and infections under the recommendation and supervision of a medical practitioner. Drugs are of many types and are diverse in their simplicity and strength. It will interest you to know that drug use can never be 100 % safe but it is not always as dangerous as many people think. The dangers of drug use depend on the drug, set and setting factors. The drug bit is everything connected with the drug and how it is used. The set bit is everything connected with the person who is using the drug. The setting bit is about what the person is doing at the time of taking the drug, the environment they live in, etc.

Drug abuse is the excessive, maladaptive or addictive use of drugs for non-medicinal purposes. It is also defined as a state, emotional and sometimes physical, characterized by a compulsion to take drugs on a constant basis in order to experience its mental effects. Drug abuse gives rise to dependence both physical and psychological. Dependence gives rise to mental, emotional, biological or physical, social and economic instability. The effects of drug abuse on an individual therefore, form the basis for its cumulative effects on the society. This is the major danger of drug abuse.

Youths in any society occupy a delicate and sensitive position within the population structure for several reasons. The Nigerian law for example, recognises that an individual below the age of seven is incapable of committing a crime and an individual between seven and twelve years should be able to know what he ought not to do; and if it can be proved that he doesn’t know that his actions are wrong, he is not criminally responsible for his acts. Between the ages of twelve and seventeen, a person is regarded as a juvenile, and while he may be held responsible for his acts or omissions, he is treated specially under the law by the Children and Young Persons Act instead of the Criminal Procedure Act. Statistics have shown that drug barons prefer recruiting their traffickers from the ages of 15 to 35 years, most of whom are unskilled, uneducated or unemployed.

There are several factors, which can influence the abuse of drugs among youths. The major ones are: peer pressure, weak parental control and parental irresponsibility, child abuse, imitation, emotional stress, truancy among students, the availability of the drug and the ineffectiveness of the laws on drug trafficking.

There are many ways to misuse medication, and many reasons students choose to start. Unfortunately, nowadays, misusing medication is prevalent in our Tertiary Institutions. Some students blame this on the competitiveness of school, hoping that taking a stimulant (like nescafe, caffeine, etc.) will help them get an edge up on the competition while others do it purely for recreational purposes. Whatever your motivation (whether you ‘borrow’ someone else’s sedative to soothe pre-exam anxiety or take a few more of your own to feel good) misusing a prescription drug can have dangerous consequences. Drugs affect everyone differently. It’s possible that a drug that works for your friend can trigger an adverse reaction in you. Also, you probably have no clue about the right way to take the medication. For instance, combining stimulants with readily available over–the–counter cold medication can cause critically high blood pressure or irregular heartbeat. Plus, mixing certain medications with alcohol can produce life–threatening complications. Misusing medication that is been prescribed to you can have similarly serious risks. Using your paracetamol indiscriminately and without prescription is an abuse and may endanger your life.

Several types of drugs are susceptible to abuse by youth. These drugs range from most common and less expensive such as cigarettes and alcohol to expensive and more deadly such as cocaine and heroin.

The danger of drug abuse has been defined as “a state of periodic or chronic intoxication, detrimental to the individual and society of a drug.” The major indication of drug addiction is the irresistible desire to take drugs by any means. Physical dependence manifests itself when drug intake is decreased or stopped resulting in withdrawal syndrome, which leads to a very distressing experience. Psychological dependence is experienced when an abuser relies on a drug to produce feeling of well being.

Abuse of some drugs (e.g. opioids) can cause choking, changes in mood, decreased cognitive function, interruptions in the menstrual cycle, infertility and slowed breathing. There is even a risk of comma or dead if there is a severe slowdown in breathing. Abuse of some drugs (e.g. sedatives and tranquilizers) can cause memory problems and lead to seizures. Using some stimulants even in the short term can trigger paranoia (a mental disorder or a loose state of mind); high doses can cause an increase in body temperature and abnormal heartbeat. There is also a risk of cardiovascular problems. Also, drug abuse can cause poor judgement since thinking is impaired and can put you in dicey situations (like becoming a victim of crime). If you are caught in crime, you can face fines, jail time and expulsion from school.

Drug abuse is a key contributor to the humiliation of Nigerians in foreign countries who are subjected to scandalous search and scrutiny. At times, dogs are used to scrutinize them. This destroys our international image and reputation. Anti–drug abuse campaigns should be stepped up by the government at all levels, non–governmental organisations and private individuals. The youth should be enlightened on all the possible dangers of abnormal use of drugs. Security efforts to detect apprehend and prosecute all illegal importers and users of hard drugs should be perfected, religious organizations should contribute to building a drug–free society.

Airaodion, Augustine Ikhueoya
(A Biochemist from the Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State)