PREVALENCE AND PATTERNS OF PSYCHO ACTIVE SUBSTANCE USE AMONG SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

1.1 Introduction

Psychoactive substance use among secondary school students has become an increasing public health and social problem in many countries. It is the non-medical self-administration of a substance to produce mood changing effect, intoxication, or altered self-image, despite the knowledge of its potential side effects. One major consequence of substance use is dependence and addiction. Substance use is a major public health problem all over the world (Johnson et al., 2017). Psychoactive substances could modify the moods, behaviours and judgment of such users with possible diverse toxic effects. Generally, substance use predates modern history and is widespread in many African countries, including Nigeria where tobacco and alcohol act as “gateway drugs” to life use of other substances (Egbuonu et al., 2017).

As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.

1.2 Background of Study

For several centuries, psychoactive substances have been widely used all over the world for various reasons. Alcoholic beverages for example, have played significant social, economic, political and traditional roles in many civilizations in Europe, America, and Africa. Several other psychoactive substances have been used in societies for one medicinal purpose or the other. Cannabis use for its medicinal properties is believed to have started in China over 4000 years ago. Despite the medicinal benefits of some psychoactive substances and their social acceptability, they are related to some undesirable health, social, legal, and economic outcomes (Anthony et al., 2018).

Psychoactive substance use and dependence cause a significant burden to the individuals and societies throughout the world. The World Health report (WHO, 2010) indicated that 8.9% of the total burden of disease comes from the use of psychoactive substances. The report showed that tobacco accounted for 4.1%, alcohol 4%, and illicit drugs 0.8% of the burden of disease in 2010. Much of the burden attributable to substance use and dependence is the result of a wide variety of health and social problems.

Data from the (WHO, 2012) show large scale seizures of cocaine, heroin, cannabis, and amphetamine-type stimulants in different parts of the world. Psychoactive substance use is a social problem that has spread and increased rapidly in educational institutions especially among secondary school students. This social problem is considered as an issue of serious concern as it adversely affects the lives and performance of students involved as well as the harmonious functioning of the entire structure of the society (Haddad et al., 2015).

Psychoactive substance use is a social problem that has spread and increased rapidly in educational institutions especially among secondary school students (Neeraja, 2011). This social problem is considered an issue of serious concern as it adversely affects the lives and performance of students involved as well as the harmonious functioning of the entire structure of the society. Use of psychoactive drugs and other associated problems are inimical to the survival and effective functioning of human societies. A significant number of untimely deaths and accidents have been linked to the activities of persons under the influence of one psychoactive drug or the other (Shelly, 2010).

In our society people are known to have had problems that had made them to adopt various measures to cope with such problems and live successfully within the confines of societal normative values. While some people take solace in lawful ways others resort to unlawful and unhealthy measures such as the use of drugs or psychoactive substances to the extent of abusing them, hence resulting in addiction. According to Edum (2006) the adolescent in our society are not left out in this, as they are either influenced by peer group while others do so because of the easy availability of the abused substances, others also watch on television and films and some read in books and so try to experiment to experience the effects. The effects of specific psychoactive substance vary depending on their mechanism of action, the amount consumed and the history of the user among other factors.

Therefore, in Dala Local Government Area of Kano State where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Prevalence and Patterns of Psycho Active Substance use among Secondary School Students.

1.3 Statement of Problems

Investigation revealed that Substance use is not a strange phenomenon; the global, regional and national dimension of it are documented. It is in recognition of the complexity of the problem that 26th June of every year has been declared as the International Day Against Abuse and illicit trafficking by United Nations. In its June, 2003 report, the United Nations Children and Education Fund (UNICEF) stated that the problem of HIV/AIDS is inextricably connected to a range of problems, among which is drug abuse among children and young people. Similarly, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) pointed out that drug abuse among “area boys” in Nigeria has been reported as the cause of delinquent behaviours and crime.

The World Health Organization (WHO, 2010) believes that young people are more vulnerable to suffering physical, emotional and social harm from their own or other people's drug use. It also identifies strong links between the high rate of drinking, violent sexual behaviour, traffic and other accidents and drug use. In relation to tobacco, World Health Organization also estimates that about 250 million children and adolescents who live in developing countries like Nigeria are likely to be killed by tobacco (Stephen, 2010).

The United Nations office on Drug and Crime (UNODC) partly attributes the prevalence of drug use in Nigeria to street hawking of drugs and pharmaceutical preparation. The prevalence rate of adolescent's substance and drug abuse in our society poses a great concern to health care providers as some end up as addicts. This is quite substantial in Kano state. According to NDLEA (2010) reports, Kano State is the highest in terms of people arrested with the case of drug trafficking' and suspected drug addicts (638 arrested suspects) followed by Katsina (411) and Rivers (347) etc.

According to NDLEA (2010) most of the people arrested in Kano state for drug addicts and trafficking are from Dala local government and neighboring communities and majority constitutes secondary school drop outs. Therefore based on the foregoing reasons, the researcher deemed it necessary to determine the prevalence and patterns of psychoactive substance use among the senior secondary school students in Dala LGA, Kano State Nigeria.

1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study

The aim of the study is to determine the Prevalence and Patterns of Psycho Active Substance use among Secondary School Students in Dala Local Government Area of Kano State, Nigeria. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows to:

1. Identify the characteristics of students who use identified substances
2. Establish the prevalence of substance use among the senior secondary school students in Dala Local Government.
3. Identify the patterns of substance use among the senior secondary students.
4. Identify the substances commonly used by the Senior Secondary students
5. Identify the sources of influence of drug use among secondary school Students
6. Determine the age of onset of substance use among secondary school student
7. Identify the reasons why senior secondary school students use drugs

1.5 Research Questions

The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:

• Is there any significant pattern of substance use among senior secondary school students?
• Are there characteristics of students who abuse drugs in the study area?
• Are there sources instigating drug use among senior secondary school in Dala?
• What are the substances commonly used by the senior secondary school students?
• What is the prevalence rate of psychoactive substance use among the senior secondary school students in Dala Local Government, Kano State?
• What are the reasons senior secondary school students used drugs?
• What is the age of onset of substance use among secondary school student in Dala local government?

1.6 Research Hypothesis

In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.

• H₀1: There is no significant difference between Male and Female in secondary school in drug abuse.
• H₀2: There is no significant difference in pattern of drug abuse in days per month based on Psychoactive Substances
• H₀3: There is no significant relationship of respondents age range at the first use based on life time use of psychoactive

1.7 Significance of Study

The present study will reveal the prevalence, pattern, types and sources of psychoactive substances used by secondary school children. It will also reveal the characteristics of the students who use drugs and the problems students encounter as a result of drug use. These findings are essential as they will help in understanding the overall social, academic and drug problems of the students and youth in Kano state.

This finding would be useful to the parents, teachers, police and the drug law enforcement agency (NDLEA) as well as other bodies concerned with checking drug abuse problems in Dala LGA of Kano state and Nigeria at large. The findings will provide a source of reference for intervention programmes in Kano state.

This study will be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.

1.8 Scope of Study

The scope of the research is focused on the Prevalence and Patterns of Psycho Active Substance use among Secondary School Students in Dala Local Government Area of Kano State, Nigeria.

1.9 Limitations of the Study

During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:

1. Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
2. Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
3. Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
4. Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

1.10 Definition of Terms

Psychoactive Substance: This refers to any substance which may be a drug or not but has the property of altering the mood in form of stimulation or distortion of perception.