The typical Nigerian youth’s vulnerability exposes him to various activities which either benefit him or otherwise. One of such negative activities, is the indiscriminate use of drugs which has dangerous effects on him and the society.

From alcohol to other psychoactive or performance enhancing drugs, the effect of the dependence on these drugs tend to alter responses to sensations alertness and stability of moods which are all controlled from the Central Nervous System (C.N.S). Although  drug on its own could be regarded as any substance taken by a living organism in order to enhance work activities its abuse, may lead to a very dangerous and irreversible health damage.

The use of harmful drugs and their addition can be separated though every long term user is a potential addict.

Amongst the Nigerian adolescent and young adults, what then makes the habitual use of drugs so common? Is it voluntarily or as a result of peer influence from the immediate environment of an average young one.

The family, for instance, as the saying goes, “Charity begins at home” but does not end at home. It implies that, a great percentage of any child’s behaviour is  expected to be influenced from within his immediate family.

Institutions whereby adequate monitoring is not being carried out on children and wards by their family or guardians, much seems to go wrong and such young persons tend to act on the basis of their discretion even when such discretion is bound to spell doom on them.

The perception of an average drug addict is that effects that stimulate or rather make them “high” and so they are taken in order to counter depression. Other purposes for which these harmful’ substances are used include peer pressure, curiosity, sexual prowess, boldness, enhanced sport performance amongst many. These purposes could derive from direct peer influences, emotional stress, lack of parental control, inferiority complexes, loneliness etc.

It is found that taking hard drugs are more readily propagated in social networks of the youth where violence, “fun”, sex, sporting activities and even wooing the opposite sex are prone to be part of their day-to-day living.

As earlier mentioned, the family plays an important role. Divorce, polygamy, poverty and neglect of parental responsibility may also make the youth seek solace or strength in “getting high and forgetting his sorrows”.

Dangerous drugs like Indian hemp, cocaine and heroine are commonly associated with this vice, but an average Nigerian addict who does not have enough  money to purchase these drugs and satisfy his arbitrary overdependence has found out new and cheaper drugs for himself to derive about the same result. I was recently told by a friend who studies in one of our private higher learning institutions that drug addicts in his school, who go ‘broke’ after spending their allowances on cocaine and heroine often go for cheaper, over-the-counter drugs.’ A common cough expect mint, Benyline, when taken in an overdose gives a feeling that some of these known hard drugs would and it’s discovery has led to a ‘bit of diversification. It is cheap and can be gotten legally. How then do we control the use and abuse of these drugs?

A Federal Agency, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) was set up years ago with controlling trafficking, possession and use of counterfeit and hard drugs as one of its objectives. The organisation’s relentless effort at achieving this objective cannot be overemphasised, but what happens when things are gradually going illegal? The responsibility becomes a collective one. The concerned individual should be available to accept help from the family and the government as well.

Parents or guardians should adequately discharge their responsibilities of bringing up a child in a way that depicts moral uprightness and abstinence from drugs. The dangers of taking harmful drugs should be emphasised such that, a child detests such activities and stays away from it. Religious teachers could also be employed to instill the fear of God in them thereby making them self cautious·

Government programmes should be established to sensitise the youth on the issues of drugs. Anti-drug campaigns in forms of awareness programmes, rallies and lectures will all go a long way in cautioning the youth and correcting his views on hard drugs being useful in his “down times.”

These measures can drastically reduce crime perpetrated by our youth and also mental disorders that result from the excessive use of these hard drugs. Let us not forget that doing our part as family and the government and committing the rest to God will not just reduce the problems but probably erase it for good.

Gloria is of the Department of Mass Communication, Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt.

Obele Gloria