By Chiamaka Rita Awa
The youths can be defined as young people who are energetic and imbued with vigour. Globally, youths build up the labour force of the economy and fall within the age bracket of 15 and 45 years. They are indispensable because when detached from youthful exuberance, they enhance the growth of the economy. Social vices associated with the youths are on the high side and have to be controlled to avert them causing more damage to the national ethos. One of the social vices that plague the youths are today is drug abuse.
Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN) in one of their recent publication, Science Serves established very succinctly that drug abuse is the use or application of any drugs whatsoever without medical doctors’ advice.
According to a 2011 Medical report, drug abuse is self medication and use of drugs that change the emotion, behaviour and possibly the appearance of the user. It includes unprescribed use of pills, cocaine, cigarettes, cigar, alcohol and hard drugs. They are called hard drugs because they change the body metabolism of the user.
Most youths take drugs because of low self esteem occasioned by failure socially and or academically. Even more disturbing is the fact that the habit could be copied from the elders and peer groups. The consequences of involvement and addiction of youths to drug abuse abound. Drug abuse has led many youths to lawlessness, madness, thuggery, violence and untimely death.
However, drug abuse can be reduced through the involvement of the family, religious leaders, schools, Non governmental organisations and the government. Families must bear children they can raise, train and educate them to be law abiding. More importantly, parents must create time fir their children and not abandoned their care to helps or relations.
Studies have shown that children who grew up in homes where parents are more inclined to relate with them are less inclined to indulge in drug abuse and would never become unruly, while their counterparts who does not enjoy such benefits become early recruits into drugs circles and cave in readily under the influence of peer pressure.
Preachers as the custodians of the religio-social and moral fabrics of the society, should inculcate good principles in the youths by first being a good role model, and example to their youth congregation and organising periodic seminars and workshops for youths’ orientation. Institutions of higher learning should also include cardiac and liver function tests to ascertain the candidate’s level of drug addiction at the point of registration in the various institutions.
Non governmental organisations (NGOS) must aggressively partner with the government to educate the public on the consequences of drug addiction on the youths and the society at large. Government should revisit and reinforce the ban on drugs and psycho-tropics substances as well as shut down all unauthorized places where sales of mind altering drugs and substances are sold. There should also be a very stringent regulation regarding the manufacturing of any kind of beverages or alcohols that are proliferating the public spaces.
Government should equip schools with the required necessary infrastructure and provide employment for the Nigeria teeming youth. These suggestions, if applied will help in reducing the exposure of youths to drugs and its attendant abuse and ultimately make Nigeria a drug free society.
| Chiamaka Rita Awa, is of the Mass Communication Dept, University of Maiduguri, Borno State |