PREVALENCE OF DRUG/SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND ITS PERCEIVED EFFECTS AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOLSTUDENTS IN OSUN STATE

Abstract

This study investigated the frequency of drug/substance abuse and its perceived effects among secondary school students in Osun State. Atotal of three hundred (300) randomly selected students from the three political divides of the State participated in the study. Data were analysed, using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The finding revealed that the rate of drug/substance abuse was relatively high. Alcohol, cigarette, and cannabis/ Indian-hemp/ marijuana, were found to be the most commonly used drugs/substances. Besides, small shops (kiosks near schools), and bars (beer parlours), among others, were identified as major sources of access to drugs/substances. Furthermore, drug/substance abuse was identified as having the tendency to cause diseases, and leading students to devote little or no attention to schoolwork. There was no significant difference between males' and females' perceived effects of drug/substance abuse on the academic development of secondary school students. Based on the outlined findings, recommendations were made that stakeholders in secondary education should obstruct avenues in nearby school environments, through which students get easy access to commonly abused drugs/substances, engage in public sensitisation via educative programmes on radio/television, employ periodically organized school counselling programmes to discourage more students from this menace, and need for appropriate interagency authority to wade in with support services for students who are victims of drug/substance abuse.