Drug Abuse And Use (SS2 Civic Education)

Drug abuse can pose a significant and serious threat.

A drug is any substance that affects the way an organism functions, either physically or mentally.

Drugs can be medically diagnosed for use by a medical practitioner, or used casually without the medical practitioner’s knowledge or diagnose

Hence, drugs are classified as:

1. Medical or licit drugs and,
2. Prohibited or illicit drugs

1. Medical Drugs

Medical drugs are drugs approved or diagnosed by medical practitioners for human consumption. They are medically processed and approved for treating or curing health-related issues.

Its use is expected to be prescribed by a qualified medical practitioner. They can be found at pharmacies and other open stores because they are approved for consumption.

Examples include paracetamol, malaria drugs, etc.

2. Prohibited Drugs

These are drugs prohibited by law because they are dangerous for human consumption and human health. Because they are prohibited, their production, distribution, and consumption are done in secret.

Examples of prohibited drugs include Indian hemp, Cocaine, etc. collectively called narcotics. It is important to note that these drugs are very dangerous to human health.

What is Drug Abuse?

The United Nations Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), USA, stated that drug abuse is “any use or application of drugs without medical justification”.

It is the “use of drugs that results in physical, social, mental and emotional impairment of the user”.

Drug abuse includes any of the following:

1. Use of drugs not prescribed by a medical practitioner.
2. Excessive consumption of social drugs like alcoholic drinks
3. Substance use
4. Overdose or underdose of drugs
5. Use of expired drugs.
6. Use of drugs without date of production
7. Use of fake drugs.
8. All forms of self-medication are prone to abuse
9. Use of herbal medicine that has no specific dosage.

Based on the points stated above, it is evident that both medically prescribed drugs and prohibited drugs are prone to abuse.

Forms of Drug Abuse

1. Wrong use of prescription which could be above the prescription dosage or under the prescription dosage.
2. Self-medication
3. Purchase of drugs from street hawkers could put us at risk of buying adulterated or counterfeit drugs.
4. By receiving treatment from quacks i.e. persons not qualified to administer such treatment.
5. Excessive consumption of socially tolerated items such as alcoholic drinks, kola nuts, and tobacco could create problems for the user.
6. Use of hard drugs 
7. Use of performance drugs which are energy drugs. This is mostly common with sportsmen and women, musicians, etc.

Types of Drugs that can be Abused and How they are Abused

1. Narcotics

These include cocaine, heroin, and morphine. They are inhaled, sniffed, swallowed, or injected into the body. Ordinarily, narcotics are used to stop or relieve extreme pain in surgery and terminal diseases like cancer, but their use must be medically advised.

2. Stimulants

These produce alertness and energy in users. They can be swallowed or injected. Sportsmen and women use stimulant drugs to enhance performance. One example of a stimulant drug is an amphetamine drug.

Ordinarily, amphetamine drugs are used to treat drowsiness but have tendencies to be highly addictive. When abused, it could lead to brain damage or even premature death.

3. Depressant Drugs

These types of drugs slow down the activities of the Central Nervous System (CNS). Examples of depressant drugs include alcoholic drinks, sleeping tablets, etc

4. Indian Hemp

This is the most popular and abused hard drug in Nigeria. The leaves of Indian hemp are dried and smoked as cigarettes, used to cook food, or added to drinks.

5. Tobacco

Tobacco consumption is socially tolerated. Tobacco can be sniffed, snuffed, or chewed. It can also be smoked in pipes or wrapped and smoked like cigarettes.

Tobacco contains a dangerous chemical known as tar which causes addiction in users.

6. Kolanut

This is a socially and culturally accepted nut widely enjoyed in Nigeria. It is a ceremonial snack in Nigeria as it is used to welcome guests at public functions. The caffeine in kola nut makes it addictive and dangerous to health. Excessive consumption could lead to sleeplessness, nervousness, etc.

Apart from prohibited drugs, medically approved drugs can also be abused. Some medically approved drugs that are commonly abused include Chloroquine, Panadol, Paracetamol, Antibiotics, etc.

Causes of Drug Abuse

1. High medical bills out of the reach of the common man could make them resort to self-medication or patronage of quacks.
2. Illiteracy and ignorance may lead to buying adulterated drugs, fake drugs, or counterfeit drugs.
3. Peer Influence
4. Lack of parental care
5. Poverty and unemployment may lead to involvement in drugs.
6. Curiosity may cause one to experiment on a drug which may lead to addiction.

Stages in Drug Abuse

1. The Experimental Stage: This is the stage where someone is curious and simply wants to experiment with a substance. After which they may decide to discontinue or choose to adopt it permanently.
2. Occasional Involvement: This is the stage where the new user accepts drug usage occasionally, but may not use his/her money to buy it.
3. Regular User: This is the stage where the person becomes a regular user.
4. Addiction: This is where the individual can barely function without drugs. He/She can go to extreme lengths to obtain the drugs.

Symptoms and Behaviours of Drug Abusers and Drug Addicts

1. Depression and frustration 
2. Weight loss
3. Memory loss
4. Disjointed speech
5. Shabby appearance 
6. Irritable
7. Character decline
8. Lack of commitment
9. Lack of interest in activities
10. Possession of drugs

Effects of Drug Abuse

1. Health complications
2. Users are prone to mental disorders, insanity, and madness.
3. If taken by a pregnant woman, could lead to deformity of the child.
4. Financial insolvency 
5. Indulgence in crime

Prevention of Drug Abuse

1. The family being the foundation of the child is where the child first learns values, and so the parents could start by leading exemplary lives. By instilling the fear of God in their wards, checking the activities of their wards, and showing them love and affection.
2. The school also partakes in the growth process of the child and the school could sponsor drug talk. They should monitor the students, and encourage the formation of drug-free societies and clubs in the school. 
3. The Community can partake in the prevention of drug abuse by sensitizing people to the dangers of drug abuse. They could also identify drug addicts and drug joints and report them to law enforcement agencies.
4. Religious organizations could utilise church sermons and programs to create awareness of the dangers of drug abuse. They could also sponsor associations to spread information on drug abuse.
5. The government also has a role to play in curbing drug abuse in society. From equipping anti-drug agencies to fight drug abuse to setting up more drug education and rehabilitation centres, these initiatives help reduce the spread and effect of drug abuse in society.

Government Agencies Working To Prevent Drug Abuse

In Nigeria, several government agencies and organizations are working to curb drug abuse and promote the activities of drug law enforcement agencies. Some of these include:

1. National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)

The NDLEA is a federal agency responsible for arresting and prosecuting traffickers of dangerous substances under various relevant drug laws. The agency has 14 directorates, 14 zonal commands, and thousands of expert narcotic operatives and support staff working across Nigeria to track and destroy narcotic drugs and other illicit substances.

Functions of NDLEA

1. Eliminating cannabis planting and growing.
2. Eradicating illegal drug trafficking and usage in the country.
3. Suppressing the demand for such goods.
4. Recovering all the country’s losses as a result of illicit drug production.
5. Preventing drug abuse and eliminating such a habit in the Nigerian environment.
6. Investigation of suspected drug traffickers

Activities of NDLEA

1. Interdiction and destruction of narcotic drugs and other illicit substances.
2. Preventive drug abuse activities such as advocacy, counselling, and rehabilitation of drug users.
3. Curtailing illicit production, importation, exportation, sale, and trafficking of psychoactive substances.
4. Targeting the leaders of narcotics and money laundering organizations.
5. Destruction of Indian hemp farms usually located in remote villages and forests.
6. Confiscation of illicit drugs and destruction of them.

2. National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC)

 NAFDAC is responsible for regulating the practice of banned substances and prohibiting the handling of drugs by unlicensed personnel, especially prescription and controlled-only drugs. These agencies and organizations are working together to address the growing issue of drug abuse in Nigeria.

This is done by implementing various strategies and interventions to reduce the prevalence of drug use and related crimes.

Functions and Activities of NAFDAC

1. Regulating and controlling the importation, exportation, manufacture, advertisement, distribution, sale, and use of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, bottled water, chemicals, and detergents.
2. Conducting appropriate tests and ensuring compliance with standard specifications designated and approved by the appropriate authority for the effective control of the quality of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, bottled water, chemicals, and detergents.
3. Maintaining reference laboratories of international standards.
4. Issuing certificates confirming the quality of goods in the country.
5. Promoting an effective, efficient, well-motivated, and disciplined workforce.

Laws Against Drug Abuse

Drug laws in Nigeria are of 2 types:

1. The laws which deal with the manufacture, distribution, sale, and use of medical drugs for the treatment of ill health and purposes of research.
2. The laws against the manufacture, production, cultivation, trafficking, distribution, sale, and use of substances prohibited by law.

Some of the drug laws in Nigeria are:

1. Indian hemp decree (1966): According to this decree, any person who engages in the cultivation or exportation of cannabis will face 21 years imprisonment. Those who only export will risk 10 years imprisonment and 5 years imprisonment if found to possess smoking utensils.

2. Indian hemp decree (amendment) 1984: This Amendment Act provides 21 years imprisonment for sales and trafficking while 4 or more years for smoking and possession.

3. Tobacco smoking decree (1990): This law prohibits smoking of tobacco in public places. It also made it compulsory for tobacco advertisers to put warnings on them e.g. smokers are liable to die young.

There are consequences to drug use. Find solutions to drug addiction in this post.