DRUG ABUSE AND PEER INFLUENCE AMONG STUDENTS OF ADEKUNLE AJASIN UNIVERSITY, AKUNGBA-AKOKO.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

The incidence of drug abuse has been on the increase in contemporary Nigeria. Drug, when ideally administered, become an antidote to infections, disease and takes precedence to healthy living, but when abused, it becomes deleterious to the abusers, their family and society and the entire society, hence our point of departure and arrival.  Soldera (2004), posited that drug abuse is an improper use of drug or alcohol to the degree that the consequences are defined as detrimental to the user or the society.

Accordingly, drug abuse among students is on the increase; consequently, it has resulted in violent cult activities, sexual assault, armed robbery, and rampage with traffic consequences in the society. Drugs can remove inhibitions and social retrains but can equally blur the way one interprets other people’s actions and inactions, thus making a violent response more likely to occur. The influence of friends and cohorts way predispose many students, particularly cultist and feeble-minded ones to use drugs incessantly with the view to obtaining the approval of others and conforming to their group norms as well as to enable them undertake unscrupulous adventures.

In his own argument,  Fantino (2002) asserts that peer pressure all over the world plays a big role in drug abuse, especially among the youth. This is because they want to “belong”. Youths resort to experimenting with drugs and ultimately progressed to more commonly seen in the secondary and tertiary institutions of learning. Hence, peer group pressure and the corruptive influence of older boys and adults who are already veterans in drug abuse account for why youth take and abuse drugs.

 Drug abuse is not peculiar to a particular class of people, it is more pronounced among youthful students, specifically the male students. This does not mean that female students are not guilty of drug abuse, they are equally found, for instance, Biber (2002) opined that drug abuse is integrated into a wider range of activities for males than the female gender. Confirming that drug abuse cut across social background, gender and educational levels. Attah (1985) re-affirms that both literate and illiterate are involved, but male youths are most likely to be involved in the abuse than females.

Many scholars behave that drug abuse has no victim except the abuses themselves; however there is high correlation between drug use and crime. Based on that, Inciardi, (1979) argues that drug abuse may not in the final analysis, be a truly victimless crime. Apart from increase in criminal activity, drug abuse or drug misuse can lead to serious health problems for the abusers, with far reaching consequence for society as a whole, most drug addicts including psychosis or mental problem, he argued.

Drug abuse often lead to drug addiction, which has been defined as the over-powering compulsion to take a drug, development of a new need for increases dosage of the drug overtime, and a psychic dependence on the drug (Llausen, 1970). Drug abuse and addiction are usually sustained and promoted by drug trafficking and traffickers who convey such that and harmful drug like cocaine, marijuana and heroine from producer countries in Africa, Asia, North America, Europe and the like. Nigeria is not yet a producer country for most of these drugs except marijuana (Canabis), which it shares with many countries, but it is one of the most notorious distributor cum abuse country in the world (see Out, 2009).

The foregoing represents part of the reason for this study. The researcher therefore poised to investigate drug abuse and peer group influence among students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Despite the public condemnation and the existing draconian law prevailing over drug use and abuse, there are still increasing notation of the act and law governing it among students in almost all institutions of learning in Nigeria. From the last two decades, there has been trajectory history of drug abuse among students who are often intimated or influence by their peers. In his writing, FANTINO, (2002) concluded that peer pressure all over the world plays a vital role in drug abuse especially among youth in institutions of learning. This is because they want to “belong”; he concluded further that the issue is more rampant in secondary and tertiary institutions. Peers group pressure and the corruptive tendencies of older boys and adults who are already guru’s in drug abuse, he argued, account for why youths take and abuse drugs.

Drug abuse among students lead to social disorder and unrest, inhibitions and social restrains and sometimes, blurs the way one interprets other people’s action and inactions. Most initiation into campus cult and students arises one often carried out under the influence of drugs. The problems in most cases are impeachment to teaching and academic progress, thus, the problem of the study is to critically explore the extent of drug abuse, causative factors implications and its relationship with peer influence among the University students using Adekunle Ajasin University as a unit of analysis.

1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following questions were drawn to guide the study:

(i) Why do students abuse drugs?

(ii) What are the implications of drug abuse on students in our education system and the entire society?

(iii) In what ways do peer group influence, contributes to drug abuse among students?

(iv) What kind of drug is commonly abused by students?

1.4 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The general purpose of the study is to thoroughly look into drug abuse and peer influence among the student of Adekunle Ajasin University. The specific objectives of study are:

(1). To ascertain the causes of drug abuse on students, involvement in drug abuse.

(2) To appraise the effects of drug abuse on students, school system and society in general

(3) To examine how peer-group influence could contribute to drug abuse among students; and

(4) To explore various kinds of drugs mostly abused by students

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study is of resounding relevance in two aspects, that is, it has both theoretical and practical significance. Theoretically, since there is hardly any text specifically on the subject, it is hope that the findings of this study will serve as a springboard for intending researchers into drug abuse and peer influence among students using the same or another case study.

Practically, the study will serve as a comprehensive guide for the government and other relevant agencies on drug policy, administration, control and related matters to understand the causes effects, extent and influence of peer groups on drug use and misuse. By so doing, they will be able to step down the tidal wave of drug abuse and its consequences on individual abusers, their family academic community and the society at large.

1.6 CONCEPTUAL DEFINITION OF TERMS

In this research work, there are certain concepts that are considered important for contextual definition and classification so as to ensure broad based level of comprehensive.

ABUSE: The deliberate use of something in a manner it should not be

DRUG: This refers to any chemical substance used in the treatment, cure prevention or diagnosis of diseases or used otherwise to enhance physical or mental well being.

DRUG ABUSE: This refers to the use of any drug in a manner that denotes from the approved medical administration or social pattern within a given culture; this could be inform of self-medication, under-dosage or over dosage of prescribed drugs.

DRUG ADDICTION: Over powering compulsion to take a drug, development of a new need for increased dosage of the drug over time and a psychic dependence on the drug continually.

DRUG TRAFFICKERS: Those who transport illicit and harmful drugs from producer nations to consumer nations, or simply put drug dealers.

DRUG TRAFFICKING: Simply means the act of conveying illicit and harmful drug from one locality to another for commercial purpose.

DRUG COURIER: This refers to those who convey transport the product (drug) from the producer nation/dealers to consumer nation/ sellers. His job terminates after delivery.

1.6.1 CLASSIFICATION OF DRUG OFTEN ABUSED

CANNABIS: It is also called Marijuana or India Hemp. It causes substantial increase in the heart rate, high blood pressure and blood shot eyes. It impairs or reduces short term memory and comprehension, alter sense of time and reduce ability to perform task.

STIMULANTS: These are drugs like cocaine, nicotine, caffeine, amphetamines and acthamphetimines which stimulates the central nervous system and which often alter the psycho-physiological state of the user. Effects include dilated pupils and elevated blood pressure, heart rate respiratory rate, body temperature and decrease appetite users experience sweating, headaches, blurred vision, dizziness sleeplessness, anxiety,  cardiac arrest or respiratory failure.

NARCOTICS: These are drugs like Heroin, Codeine, Morphine and Opium. It produces euphoria followed by drowsiness; nausea and vomiting. They depress the central nervous system, especially the sensory areas of the cerebral cortex.

HALICINOGEN: These are drugs like lysergic acid (LSD), Phencychodine love boat and killer weed which cause illusions. It causes a feeling of numbress nausea flushed appearance, chlation of the pupils, increased heart rate body temperature, blood pressure.

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