INVOLVEMENT OFYOUTHS IN SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN ALIMOSHO LOCAL GOVERNMENTAREA OF LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA.

Abstract

Substance abuse among youth has become a real problem, ravaging globally. The youths feel that drugs enhance their performance in all spheres of life. This study, therefore, examined the involvement of the youths in substance abuse. Arandom selection of a sample of 100 Junior Secondary School students was taken from four secondary schools in the Alimosho Local Government area of Lagos State. Aself-developed questionnaire was used for the gathering of data and it had a reliability value of 0.81 using the test re-test reliability method. Data gathered were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Based on the research question generated, it was found that the involvement level of youths in substance abuse was high. In addition, there was a significant difference between substance abuse and the socio-economic status of youths. There is a significant difference in the level of involvement of youths in substance abuse based on gender. It was recommended that the government, at various levels, should establish drug education and counselling programmes for youths, among others.