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THE DANGERS OF DRUG ABUSE

First and foremost, what are Drugs? Drugs are substances used in diagnosis, treatment or preven on of
diseases. Or as a component of a medica on. It is a substance that modifies biological, psychological and social
behaviour. Drugs are manufactured with the sole purpose of curing ailments or unpleasant situa ons.

Then what is the meaning of Drug Abuse? Drug Abuse can be defined as the illicit, illegal or excessive use of
drugs. It can also be defined as the deliberate use of an illegal drug or too much of prescribed drug. Drug Abuse
is the habitual use of drugs to alter ones mood, emo ons or state of consciousness. The more drugs begin to
alter a person's life, the more likely it is that the person has crossed the line from drug use to abuse or addic on.
According to Na onal Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), drugs are abused when:

v Its use is not medically necessary or for non- medical purpose.
v Its use is legally prohibited.
v It is excessively and persistently self- administered.

It is very prac cable to say that almost all drugs, if not all, have poten al for addic on and abuse. There are
different types of drugs which can be abused, they include; the alcoholic beverages (e.g illicit gin, unrefined
spirit, beer, wine, brandy, whisky, palmwine etc); the s mulants (e.g cocaine, ca eine, heroine, cannabis,
marijuana etc) and the inducement drugs. However, drugs like sleeping pills, cocaine, marijuana, heroin, pain
killers, methamphetamine, alcohol, tobacco, opium, snuff, nico ne and cough syrup are most likely or rather
are frequently abused.

There are several reasons why individuals indulge in drug abuse or why they abuse drugs. Some people take
certain drugs to give them more energy to work for a longer period of me. Some other persons take certain
drugs in order to sleep yet others take drugs out or emo onal crises. Some take drugs because of low – self-
esteem, peer pressure, poverty, illiteracy or ignorance. Bad company and in mate connec on with those
people taking hard drugs can trigger one to indulge in such an -social act. But for all these reasons, drugs,
except on prescrip on cannot perform any of these func ons effec vely. Drugs, if not well administered will be
abused. The menace of illicit drug administra on and its abuse has been a bane on the society and the country
in general.

The effects of drug abuse are rela vely very damaging. Drug abuse o en affects a person's health, while the
effects depend on the type of drug the person is abusing.

In Nigeria today and most parts of the developed world, notably America, United Kingdom and Canada, the
effects of drug abuse have been unsurmountable. Some of the effects of drug abuse on an individual include,
brain disorienta on or malfunc on, depression, lack of self-control and mo va on , anxiety, weakness of the
body, improper growth, heart a ack, kidney damage, nuisance and criminal ac vi es, school drop-out , loss of
employment, madness, allergy, poli cal and social violence and so much more.

An addicted person has a total dependence on drug in order to perform certain func ons. An addicted person
has built up a drug tolerant a tude, he or she feels that without drugs, nothing is impossible or rather nothing
can be achieved without it. A drug addicted person can prevent further drug abuse by: contac ng a physician or
a doctor before using any other drug, desis ng from smoking and taking substance's harmful to the body.

Drug abuse can be prevented, through public enlightenment, through the ban of expired imported drugs,
through the seize of sub-standard drugs entering the country, by me ng out punishment to all drug offenders,
by controlling all drugs entering a country by checking music and ac vi es that expose youths to drug abuse, by
resis ng peer pressure en cement in abusing drugs, by good moral upbringing, by strong legisla ve
prohibi ng the use of hard drugs etc.

By –Ughamadu Ekene and Nwozuzu Jessica, SS3D.

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