An excerpt from the presentation of Olusesan Oshatimehin during the National Women summit organised by Oyo State Official’s Wives Association (OYSOWA) 12th September 2012

 

DRUG DEFINED

It is a substance that has a physiological effect when ingested or otherwise introduced into the body, in particular (Wikipedia Definition).

In pharmacology, a drug is a chemical substance used in the treatment, cure, prevention, or diagnosis of disease or used to otherwise enhance physical or mental well-being. Drug may be prescribed for a limited direction, or on a regular basis for chronic disorder.

 

• A drug is any chemical you take that affects the way your body works Alcohol, Caffeine, Aspirin and Nicotine are all drugs. A drug must be able to pass from your body into brain. Once inside your brain, drugs can change the messages your brain cells are sending to each other, and to the rest of your body. They do this by interfering with your brain’s own chemical signals: neurotransmitters that transfer signals across synapses.
• Drug is any chemical you take that affects the way your body works.

DRUG ABUSE DEFINED

• DRUG ABUSE, which is also referred to as substance abuse or chemical abuseis a disorder that is characterised by a destructive pattern of using a substance leading to significantproblems or distress. It is common in ages between 14-44years, but more common in the adolescence age group.
• Addiction: To use compulsively or uncontrollably; to be enslave
• Abuse: To use wrongly or improperly, Abnormal Use
• Habit: A constant, often unconscious, inclination to perform some act, acquired through its frequent repetition
• Addiction Liability/Potential: the tendency to develop/produce an addiction.
• Drug dependency: This is said to occur when an individual continues to use a particular substance despite problems associated with its usage.
• Tolerance: This is said to occur when an individual requires a higher dose of a particular drug to achieve the same effect as the initial dose.
• Withdrawal: These are symptoms that follows stoppage of a particular drug .e.g. vomiting, diarrhoea, restlessness, talking irrationally, hiccups, insomnia, high blood pressure.
• Dual diagnosis: This is the presence of both a drug-abuse or dependence issue in addition to a serious mental-health problem in an individual. Substance abuse or dependence unfortunately occurs quite commonly in people who also have severe mental illnesses. Individuals with dual diagnosis are also at higher risk of being noncompliant with treatment. Drug Induced Psychosis or Psychosis induced Drug Problem either can come first.
• Dependence: state of being determined, influenced, or controlled by something else; subordination to someone or something needed or greatly desired; required for normal physiological or psychological function
  • physical/physiologic/physiological
  • psychological/psychic

 

CLASSIFICATION OF DRUG USERS (DUs)

There are two classes of Drug Users (DUs) which are;

• Injecting Drug Users (IDUs)
• Non-Injecting Drug Users (NIDUs)

 

COMMONLY ABUSE DRUGS

Alcohol, Amphetamines, Anabolic Steroids, Caffeine, Cannabis, Ecstasy,  Hallucinogens, Inhalants, Nicotine, Opiates , Cocaine, Heroine, Rephenol, Phencyclidine, Sedatives, Hypnotic, Or Antianxiety Drugs, Pain Kills, Codeine, Pawpaw Leaves, Benzodiazepines, Ashes

FACTORS OF DRUG ABUSE

There are various biological and psycho-social factors that help to initiate substance abuse in an individual.

1. BIOLOGICAL FACTORS
   Family History
   Preexisting psychiatric or personality disorder, or medical disorder
   Reinforcing effects of drugs
   Withdrawal effects and craving
2. PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS
   • Curiosity, As a novelty, Social rebelliousness, Early initiation, Poor control, Sensation seeking (Feeling high), Low self-esteem (Anomie).

Signs and Symptoms of Drug Abuse

It is importance to watch significant changes in

• Physical  Appearance
• Attitudinal Changes
• Behavioural Changes
• Change of friends

WARNING SIGNS OF TEEN DRUG ABUSE

• Having bloodshot eyes or dilated pupils; using eye drops to try to mask these signs.
• Skipping class; declining grades; suddenly getting into trouble at school.
• Missing money, valuables, or prescriptions.
• Acting uncharacteristically isolated, withdrawn, angry, or depressed.
• Dropping one group of friends for another; being secretive about the new peer group.
• Loss of interest in old hobbies; lying about new interests and activities.
• Demanding more privacy; locking doors; avoiding eye contact; sneaking around.

FIVE STEPS PARENTS CAN TAKE

• Lay down rules and consequences. Your children should understand that using drugs comes with specific consequences. But don’t make hollow threats or set rules that you cannot enforce. Make sure your spouse agrees with the rules and is prepared to enforce them.
• Monitor your children’s activity. Know where your teen goes and who he or she hangs out with. It’s also important to routinely check potential hiding places for drugs—in backpacks, between books on a shelf, in DVD cases or make-up cases, for example. Explain to your teen that this lack of privacy is a consequence of him or her having been caught using drugs.
• Encourage other interests and social activities. Expose your teen to healthy hobbies and activities, such as team sports and afterschool clubs.
• Talk to your child about underlying issues. Drug use can be the result of other problems. Is your child having trouble fitting in? Has there been a recent major change, like a move or divorce, which is causing stress?
• Get Help. Teenagers often rebel against their parents but if they hear the same information from a different authority figure, they may be more inclined to listen. Try a sports coach, family doctor, therapist, or drug counselor.

EFFECT OF DRUG ABUSE/SUBSTANCE DEPENDENCE

Drug Abuse has many adverse effects, some of which are;

• MEDICAL
  Seizures, coma, nausea, liver disease (cirrhosis, cancer, fatty liver, and Hepatitis etc)
• PSYCHOLOGICAL
  Permanent Mental Disorder, Psychosis
• SOCIAL
  Series of family problem, legal cases, unproductive at work or school, anti-social disorder

 END OF DRUG USERS

There are two ends to any drug users.

1. Permanent Mental Disability
2. Premature Death

 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DRUG ABUSE AND HIV

Since Drug is any chemical we take that affects the way our body works. Drug abuse can lead to HIV in the following sense;

• INHIBITS SENSE OF JUDGMENT: The chance that a high drug user will have unprotected sexual contact with anybody since the judgment is impaired by drug is high.
• INJECTING DRUG USERS A SUSCEPTIBLE TO CONTRACTING HIV since they mostly share needles & syringe with one another

ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF DRUG ABUSE

Nigeria is lost billions of dollars that could have been used to improved the living standard of her citizens to drug dealers and or peddlers yearly as the rate of drug abuse and addictions is daily on the increase

If an average drug user in typical Lagos island slum spends at least N 15,000 daily on
HEROINE

15,000 X 7 Days = N 105,000 X 52 Weeks = N 5,460,000 imagine folks using drug for 10 years 5,460,000 X 10 = N 54,600,000.

COCAINE

N 30,000 X 7 Days X 52 Weeks X 10 Years = N 109,200,000

COCAINE & HEROINE

N 40,000 X 7 Days X 52 weeks X 10 Years = N 145,600,000

ALCOHOL

A bottle of beer sells for N 180 at a local joint. If a man drinks an average of five bottles a day that makes it 35 bottles a week. In a year that makes it 1825 bottles amounting to N 328,500. Just imagine folks drinking for 30 years, that will amount to N 9,855,000a leap year will be 5 Bottles X 366 Days X N 180 X 30 Years = N9,882,000 ……..Men have drank Bungalows, Duplexes and Estates!!!!!!……..***BEER***……​Save a future. Share this message, copy and paste on your walls……..

The most frequent question people ask me is “how do they come up with these huge sums of money”?

Source of funding includes but not limited to

• Begging
• Scamming
• Stealing
• Arm robbery
• Prostitution
• Manual Labor
• Pimping
• Traffic control at social functions
• Car jacking

SOCIAL IMPORTANCE

• Series of family problem
• Legal cases
• Unproductive at work or school
• Anti-social disorder
• Mental Health Breakdown
• Financial Slavery

 

 

By: Mr. Samuel-Kayode