CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
In this contemporary world, growth and development in medical discoveries have brought about more effective drugs and have changed the overall health of many people. Many drugs are now available to prevent, treat or cure diseases, injuries and medical problems which consequently have helped millions of people live longer and healthier lives. However, many of these drugs and other non-medical drugs are being misused or abused by people most especially the youths. Cases of students’ involvement in drug abuse have been reported severally by Nigeria media and this requires an urgent attention.
The United Nations (2012) reported that about 185 million people globally over the age of 15 were consuming drugs by the end of the 20th century. The most commonly mentioned drugs were marijuana, cocaine, amphetamine-types stimulants (ATS), opiates and volatile solvents (Durani, 2012). Durani, stressed also that substance abuse touches millions of people worldwide each year. It is estimated that about 76.3 million people struggle with alcohol use disorders contributing to 1.8 million deaths per year.
Drugs mean chemicals that have effect on the body, mind or behavior. In other words, drugs are substances other than food that change the structure or function of the body or mind. In medical terms, a drug is a chemical taken in prescribed dosages to treat or prevent illness (Wayne & Dale, 1998). In this case, drug is often referred to as medicine, a vaccine, a tranquilizer, an antibiotic or some other medical terms.
In most cases, people use the term “drug” when they refer to medicine. Medicines are used to treat or prevent diseases and other conditions. Merton (1996) stated that medicines are usually grouped according to their effects on the body. Some of the most commonly used types of medicines include those that prevent diseases, those that fight infections and those that provide pain relief.
Vaccines are medicines that prevent diseases such as diphtheria, tetanus, whopping cough, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, influenza, yellow fever and many others. The type of medicine used to fight germs is anti-biotic. It is a medicine that reduces harmful bacteria in the body. The most commonly used and highly effective anti-biotic is penicillin. For pain relief, Aspirin is the most widely used and available with doctor’s prescription (Merki, 1996). Narcotics, also a pain reliever, is so powerful that they may cause physical and psychological dependence (Merki, 1996).
In legal terms, a drug is a chemical that has a high possibility of being abused. People abuse drugs by using them improperly either socially or medically. For this reason, according to Wayne and Dale (1998), certain drugs are controlled substances. Laws restrict or prohibit the use of controlled substances. Restricted drugs are those sold only by prescription or only to persons of legal age. For example, morphine can only be obtained by prescription. Alcohol and tobacco can only be sold to persons of legal age, although, the reverse is the case these days. Prohibited drugs cannot be prescribed by physicians or sold legally (Wayne & Dale, 1998). Heroine is an example of a prohibited drug.
Drugs are substance that alter physical or physiological and psychological state of mind of an individual and the problems resulting from the use of them are not new. They have always caused social and health problems and are all harmful substances when improperly used. Pollock, Candace and Charles (1979) considered drug to be any substance, other than food, that by its chemical or physical nature alters structures or function in the living organisms. Included in this broad definition is a variety of psychoactive drugs, medicines and substances that many people do not usually consider to be drugs. Legal substances not usually considered include caffeine, tobacco, alcohol, aspirin and other over-the-counter (OTC) preparations (Pollock, Candace & Charles, 1979). These common substances are used so frequently in our society that they are rarely perceived as true drugs.
The World Health Organization (2010) defined substance abuse as the harmful or hazardous use of psychoactive substances, including alcohol and illicit drugs. Drug abuse is the arbitrary over dependence or misuse of one particular drug with or without a prior medical diagnosis from qualified health practitioner. The majority of Nigerian youths ignorantly depend on one form of drug or the other for their various daily activities, social, educational, political and moral use etc (Garwood, 2012).