PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCE USE AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the study, titled Psychoactive Substance Use Among Young People, was to discover the prevalence and patterns of psychoactive substance use among Nigerian youth. The study used an exploratory research strategy to collect data from secondary sources, such as published papers and journals that were used for the first time (p 0.05). The study discovered that the prevalence of substance abuse among young people is high, and it advised techniques for treating the effects of substance misuse based on the data acquired.

the operation of human societies A large number of untimely fatalities and accidents have been connected to the actions of people who are under the influence of one or more psychoactive drugs (Shelly, 2010). Drug misuse is perceived in a variety of ways by different authorities. Substance abuse, according to Neeraja (2011), is described as a dependency on a drug or other chemical substance that has negative consequences for the individual’s bodily and mental health, as well as the welfare of others. Substance abuse, according to Smelzer, Bare, Hinkle, and Cheever (2008), is a maladaptive pattern of drug use that produces physical and emotional suffering as well as the potential for everyday life disruption. Substance abuse, according to these definitions, is the misuse of one or more medications given by a health practitioner with the goal to change how one feels, thinks, or behaves, and it is connected with negative effects such as bodily and emotional harm.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Substance abuse, according to the African Symposium (2010), is defined as the incorrect use or administration of drugs by a person who lacks proper knowledge of the medications and does not have a valid prescription from a trained medical practitioner. This definition concentrates on psychotropic substances. All substances can be overused to the point of addiction, which occurs when a drug user is unable to stop using them despite the negative repercussions on their social, personal, and economic lives. The problem of substance misuse is so serious that it has expanded beyond the typical features of abusers, which are males, adults, and people who live in cities, to include females, children, and individuals who live in rural areas (Rocha, 2009)

Cocaine, heroin, and cannabis availability is determined by the level of cultivation in source countries as well as the success or failure of drug trafficking groups. Despite increased law enforcement activity, however, there always appears to be enough available to users. Estimates from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC, 2011) reveal that almost 200 million individuals use illicit substances in some form.

Use of psychoactive substances is a social problem that has rapidly spread and grown in educational institutions, particularly among secondary school pupils (Neeraja, 2011). This social problem is seen as a severe worry since it has a negative impact on the lives and academic achievement of the students engaged, as well as the smooth operation of the entire social structure.