KNOWLEDGE AND PERCEPTION OF DRUG USE AND ABUSE AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

CHAPTER ONE 

INTRODUCTION 

1.1     Background of the Study       

    
The use of drugs dates back into the pre-history of man.  Such drugs were used to relieve pain or cure and control diseases (Curew and Dibal, 1999).  Drugs as defined by the World Health Organization (1967) is any substance which taken by living organisms may modify the functions of living organism.  The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC, 1999), stated that situations of ill-health provide the compelling need for drugs that is in order to modify the functions of the body and restore it to life.  However, the major issue with drugs is not in its use for curative purposes but in the abuse and misuse of these drugs especially when these drugs are psychoactive drugs. The consumption level of hard drugs has risen sharply in Nigeria within the last two decades.  Such drugs like heroine, cocaine, cannabis and even alcohol have in recent times become so easily accessible by individuals of much cancer is the high prevalence of the use of these drugs among adolescents.  Adolescents use drugs for several reasons among which are, for experimentation, mere fun and excitement, peer pressure, to get over depression and other psychological problems, etc.           
However, the use of these drugs among young people has so much effect on individuals, families and the society at large.  The problems range from social, psychological, economical and even political problems.  This paper therefore seeks to find out the reasons for drug use among secondary school students in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State and the perception of the effects of these drugs on the health and academic performance of students. 

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