THE CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
The purpose of introducing this course into the College’s Curriculum is to enable the youth/adolescent to make good decisions about the use of drugs and alcohol having studied their good and bad effect on the human body, alcohol and other drugs are mostly used by youths in our various colleges and campuses. The decision to use alcohol and drugs such as Marijuana, Indian Hemp, Cocaine , as an adult one has to know the limit and weakness of the use of drugs and alcohol and have responsibility for your actions, it becomes drug abuse, social use of drugs involves the use of certain substances for recreational purposes, although all drugs used in this way are harmful but some of them are socially acceptable. Some of these drugs are not considered as drug abuse, if they are used in moderation and only by adult e.g. alcohol, cigarette and kola nut.
Drug and alcohol abuse: We cannot sit on the fence and criminally pretending that the menace of drug and alcohol abuse that had eaten deep into the fabric of our national heritage (young lives) to eat deeper. Taking of the drug is one thing; abuse of drug is another, and come the menace of drug abuse, drug abuse is the use of drug by a person without medical purpose and supervision.
Drug are abused because users derive temporary happiness, emotional, excitement, relaxation or relief from problem, it is a pitiable dismal that adolescents in secondary school are now very much involved. To the end, the attention of the general public must be brought to revitalized and collectively salvage together in order to prevent the total degeneration and loss of lives and values.
Therefore, all hands must be on deck to be able to fight this monster of drug and alcohol abuse that affect us daily, socially, educationally, politically, morally even through mass media as much as our effort can go. The medicinal dictionary defines drug as any substance that affect the structure of functioning of a living organism, Dr. Wale Oloyede (2002) define drug as any chemical agent that is capable to affecting living processes, respiration, growth, excretion, location, reproduction etc. drugs procedure harmful as well as beneficial effect, and decisions about when and how to use them therapeutically always involve the balancing of benefit and risks which can be classified into two categories.
Effect of Alcohol and Drug on Specific Organ
Long term use of alcohol result in permanent damage of the adult’s brain. When this occurs, the individual becomes forgetful, pregnant women damage the brain of the unborn child which results into alcohol syndrome this is a situation whereby an infant abnormalition due to ingestion of alcohol by the mother during pregnancy the infant also has mental retardation.
Cardiovascular System
Regular ingestion of alcohol lead to abnormalities in the normal heart beat. The muscle wall of the heart is also damaged as a result of long-term use of alcohol.
Digestive System
Diseases of the esophagus and the stomach leading to vomiting and retching are alcohol related. Alcohol could also lead to fear of the lower part of the esophagus with massive vomiting of blood, ulcer and destruction of the pancreas are common occurrences in heavy users of alcohol.
Malnutrition and Anaemia
Alcohol has non-nutritive calories and chronic users of alcohol do ot eat adequately, they therefore become deficient in vitamins, the alcoholic inevitably becomes prone to anaemia and other diseases.
(1) Soft drug (e.g.) antibiotic and analgesics.
(2) Hard drugs (e.g.) cocaine, marijuana, heroin etc.
For the purpose of the research, we are going to look more deeply into the cause and effect of drug and alcohol on adolescents while Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State is the case of study due to her important in the state and national building.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
It is common to see secondary school students outside the school premises during lesson roaming about, some late to school, some miss class, some will leave their home for school but at the end, they are not in school, yet not at home. What a changing generation of adolescents?
Why on earth will adolescents be involved in the use of hard drug to the detriment of their lives? Why will a secondary school student associate himself with evil act. Is exposure to internet cause to these adolescent maladjustment? Does marijuana increase sense in adolescent? May be yes, but in what sense? The eye-increasing population of our society may have contributed to the menace of madness.
1.3RESEARCH QUESTIONS
(1) What are causes of drug abuse?
(2) What are the effects of drugs abuse?
(3) What influence drug abuse?
(4) How to curb drug abuse?
1.4FORMULATION OF RESEARCH QUESTIONS
A. There is significant different between adolescents that drug and alcohol and adolescents that do not abuse drug and alcohol.
B. There is no significant different between adolescents that abuse drug or alcohol and the adolescents that do not abuse drug and alcohol.
1.5OBJECT OF THE STUDY
The objective of the study includes the followings:
(1) To highlight the negative effect of drug and alcohol abuse.
(2) To identify the underlying cause of responsible for drug and alcohol abuse.
(3) To suggest step to step on how to slow down the menace of drug and alcohol addict.
(4) What can Government, NGO, Parents or Students do to avoid drug and alcohol abuse.
1.6SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
(1) This is aim at enlightening people of the danger of drug and alcohol abuse by students.
(2) To serve as roadmap for future adolescents especially in Oredo L.G.A. of Edo State
(3) It will help to improve the quality and quantity of life adolescents (students) in Oredo L.G.A of Edo State.
1.7SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The scope of the study covered some selected secondary schools in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State.
1.8DEFINITIONS OF TERMS
The meanings of some words as used in the passage
(1) Decedent: Abnormal behavior of improper act of behavior.
(2) Drug: A drug is any chemical you take that affect the way the body works.
(3) Detriment: Harm.
(4) Devastating: Dangerous
(5) Stigma: Sign of shame.