The impact of drug abuse among adolescents has been a stigma of moral decadence, violence, thuggery, assault, rape, robbery, cultism, vandalism, murder, sentenced to a life of delinquency, insanity, street walking, premature death and the list is endless.
Drug abuse, according to NAFDAC
(2000) as cited by Haladu (2003) explained the term drug abuse as excessive and
persistent self-administration of a drug without regard to the medically or
culturally accepted patterns. It could also be viewed as the use of a drug to
the extent that it interferes with the health and social function of an
individual.
The most frightening part on the side of the young ones growing up is that they see this drug user as one who is tough, bold, and strong and hope to be like them someday.
People still go into cigarette smoking despite the warning from the Federal Ministry of health that “Smokers are liable to die young” because they are addicted and find it hard to let go. However, to help save the future and provide them with the hope we need a change in warning, like that from the federal ministry of health, which is yielding no result. Why not, “the Federal Ministry of Justice warns that smokers caught smoking in public are liable for life imprisonment”. If this is achieved the young ones will be saved from getting enticed into this menace of drug abuse.
Drug Abusers should not be seen as criminals, but as people suffering from an addiction, they can’t let go of. But they should be prevented from doing it publicly to the view of people. More sensitization programs should be organized not just in schools but also in the local communities.
Parents are no doubt, the number one teacher of a child and as such, they should educate the child on the dangers of drug abuse and if the parents are drug abusers themselves, they should not abuse drugs in front of their children or wards. Security personnel should be strictly prohibited from abusing drugs publicly because a drug abuser won’t see any need to arrest any public drug abuser.
The issue as regards drug abuse has done more harm to the current generation than anticipated and there is no certainty that the future generations won’t heed to this negativity. Nevertheless, we must never forget that everyone has their rights, and with freedom fighters taking up the “End The Drug War” campaign stronger than ever to stop the government from wasting resources towards fighting drug abusers and prohibitionist laws on drugs, people should be free to take drugs without any restrictions or regulations and government can use should resources and energy for that cause for another more important thing. But this is just an opinion of the minority.
To help restore hope in the future and strengthen the fight against drugs, two institutions might be the country’s last hope.
Firstly, the school system is the most important if we get it right a faster solution could be gotten. The institution must educate children not just about learning but also things they should do to make a society raise a very strong and productive individual. The youths are the backbone of every nation, any nation that fails to get them right is already condemned for destruction in a matter of time.
Secondly, Nigeria is a country with a population numbering over 200 million according to the United Nations. And also being one of the countries with adherents of the religion. Religious institutions could help in hastening the fight against drug abuse. Religion teaches about character and the importance of not harming others. If we can use the religious leaders to preach on how harmful abusing drugs is, a lot of positive outcomes will emerge as people tend to respect and give obedience to religious leaders to even their academic teachers and parents.
The faster we kick start the fight against drug abusers the better for our unborn generation. Drug abuse is indeed filled with an abundance of harm with few benefits which are not visible. But a society that is not secured or allows the economy to strive will never stop receiving drug abusers because it has led many to frustration, which triggers drug abuse. Nigeria needs to get her economy right to win the calmness in people before trying to end what leads people to it.
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