Drug abuse among youths worrisome – Expert

Prevalence of drug addiction among Nigerian youths has been described as worrisome as it continues to destroy their future, which will have a long term negative effect on the nation.

A health practitioner and president of a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO),  Health Promoters and Awareness Initiative,  Malam Saraki Abubakar Musa disclosed this in Bauchi on Thursday while presenting a lecture at a school awareness campaign on the dangers of drug abuse.

The campaign was organized by an NGO, ‘Gyara Kayanka Character Re-birth (GCR) Initiative’ which was held at Bauchi State College of Agriculture.

He disclosed that, a recent research conducted on the prevalence of hard drugs abuse revealed that 7, 800 new cases are being recorded across the nation daily as more people are being introduced to drugs.

Mallam Musa added that the research has also revealed that, 54 per cent of drugs addicts in the country are young people, from the age of 18 years downward, as a result of peer pressure, which often leads them to depression and other negative effects.

“Youths associate with different types of people otherwise known as friends. Through the pressure from these friends, a child may end up having a taste of these drugs and once this is done, they continue to take it and become addicted to it.”

“In the long run, they are pushed to abuse drugs in order to fit in, escape or relax, relieve boredom, seem grown up, to rebel or to experiment,” he said.

According to him, the drugs mostly abused include tobacco, alcohol, synthetic drugs, ecstasy, cocaine, crystal meth and methamphetamine, inhalants, heroin.

Speaking earlier, the Secretary GCR Initiative, Mr Monday Daniel explained that the event was organized in consideration of the prevalence of drug addiction in tertiary institutions and secondary schools.