Knowledge and Negative Effects of Drug Abuse on the Youths of Mbarakpaka Community, Ihiala Local Government, Anambra State.

Background of the Study

Drugs are commonly used by everybody whether young or old. Drugs are not only useful for human beings; they are also useful for animals and for good health. Drug is an effective substance in the life of any living thing to cure sickness and to make life healthy. Drugs are used for beneficent therapeutic purposes, but are also being abused by people especially youths whom use it illegally and unlawfully, thus it becomes harmful to the body.

Around 275 million people used drugs worldwide in the last year 2021, while over 36 million people suffered from drug abuse disorders (World Drug Report, 2021). In Nigeria, 14.3 million drug users of which close to 3 million suffered from a drug use disorder (National Drug use Survey, 2018). The youths in Anambra state like many states of the country are increasingly developing
Addiction to psychiatric substances or engage in drug abuse. Data collected from drugs use and abuse from schools, records of patients admitted at mental health institutions for drug problems and interview of persons arrested for drug offences. The result showed that youths constitute the high risk group for drug abuse (National drug law enforcement agency, 2019). Friends and schoolmate account for about 90% of the source of influence of the use and abuse of various psychoactive substances.

In Nigeria, alcohol and cigarette are legal substances but, the two have been discovered to cause physical damage to human bodies. It has been reported that smoking tobacco causes 90.0% of lung cancer, 30.0% of all cancers and 80.0% of other chronic lung diseases (Sale, 2018). Apart from these health implications, according to Stephen (2019), alcohol and cigarettes are said to be gateway drugs to other more potent psychoactive drugs like marijuana, heroin and cocaine. The future of any community, society, state or nation is tied to the character of the youth in that particular place, area or locality. It is also said that the youth are the leaders of tomorrow. Therefore responsible youth in the society Indicates responsible and brighter future of that society and also the reverse is the case. Anambra state is located in the southeastern part of Nigeria with a population of over 4.1 million citizens (National population census, 2017). Ihiala is a city in Anambra state located at the southern part of the state. It is the largest city in Ihiala local government area which also consist of several other towns like Amorka, Azia , Okija, Lilu, Mbosi, Isseke, Orsumoghu, Ubuluisisuzor, And Uli.