Drug Abuse among Youth: Causes, Effects and Control

Abstract

Drug abuse and drug menace is the illicit, non-medical use of limited number of substances, most of drugs which have the properties of altering the mental state of a being in ways that are considered by social norms and defined by statute to be inappropriate, undesirable, harmful threatening to the life of the user and to the society at large. Alcohol, heroin, cocaine, opium, marijuana, are some of the drugs abused.

Generally, the youth seem to be the target of this drug menace and its abuse. Curiosity, peer pressure, and availability of drugs such as cigarettes and alcohol are the immediate causes of drug abuse amongst the youth. In the company of bad associates, friends are pressured to indulge in the use of drugs especially, in the senior high schools. On our television stations and on our radio stations, there is a “naked” advertisement of alcohol, cigarettes and other non-medicated drugs. These are harmful drugs that are being presented to be good enhancing performance. These drugs are even shown to the public as a laxative and the most annoying thing is that places where these could be bought in large quantities are announced to the public. This availability of drugs to the youth and the society proves a cause and a cancer to society.

“Curiosity,” it is said, “kills the cat.” The youth of today are very inquisitive and curious. They would like to test the efficacy of whatever they see and hear of. This curiosity at times becomes fatal even to the point of death. Some by their curiosity go into deal with drugs and become addicts. In this paper, the author wants to explore the causes, effects and control of this menace and also wants to highlight the social and cultural aspects of drug abuse.