Introduction
I have observed a menace, subtle yet glaring with a devastating end, engaged by many youths in Nigerian Society. One that is depicted virtually and physically through our reflection as a society with glory and a downplay of effects [1]. I walk across the streets of social media and my residence with troubling sights of a growing epidemic.
This epidemic is no other than “Substance Abuse”
I write as someone who has encountered beings affected by this menace and its effects and is pained by the loss they have experienced. I have seen acquaintances, former schoolmates, and roommates become shadows of themselves because one still exists for them.
Nigeria's population is growing at a rate of 2.1 per cent [2], and it is on track to be the fourth most populous country in 2050[3]. Consequently, the country has a large youthful population. About 28.76 per cent of the total population is below the age of 15, and 45.46 per cent is between the ages of 15 and 35. Given an estimated total population of about 209.6 million people as of 2021 [4], this means that 5 in 10 Nigerians are youth.
The growing state of the country’s population has been a major national discourse with debates on it either being a potential or a disaster [5]. My contribution to that discourse is that it could hold potential; however, I am certain that it would be a disaster if the use of hard drugs is not managed. Yes! It would be a disaster.
My Experience On The Streets Of Social Media
Recently, I have observed how the use of drugs has been nuanced and massaged into conversations on social media with words and phrases such as puff and pass, Rizla, Igbo (not as a tribe but a substance), Cloud 9, highness, and cana, amongst other terms. These phrases related to drug use run so deep that they are expressed in everyday conversations as well as the best art forms, especially music, with a sterling example of a recent hit by Zerrydi & Shallipopi titled “Puff and pass”, which I think of as a celebration of the menace.
I was drawn to a video https://x.com/Teeniiola/status/1887390371279478979 I encountered while browsing through X, the mini-blogging platform, where a lady followed the smell of smoke emanating from the use of cannabis by a neighbour, and a lot of netizens made fun of it. And there I was, stunned. This is no joke; this shouldn’t be taken to be fun or cool, except we want a bunch of miserable crackheads around, adding to the already existing problems. We are having our biggest asset captured, and we think it's fun.
What Are The Studies And Data Saying?
The 2018 National Drug Use Survey in Nigeria, conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the Centre for Research and Information on Substance Abuse (CRISA), with support from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and funding from the European Union, provides a comprehensive analysis of substance abuse among Nigerian youths. The survey revealed that approximately 14.4% of Nigerians aged 15 to 64, equating to about 14.3 million individuals, had used drugs in the past year, a figure more than twice the global average of 5.6%. Among these, a significant proportion were youths, with 27.7% of drug users being young people. The data also highlighted a gender disparity: while one in four drug users was female, women constituted less than 5% of those receiving treatment for drug use disorders. The most commonly abused substances included cannabis, opioids (notably tramadol and codeine), and cough syrups used for non-medical purposes [6]. Another 2021 scoping review titled "The Burden of Drug Abuse in Nigeria: A Scoping Review of Epidemiological Studies and Drug Laws" analysed 23 studies to assess the prevalence and impact of drug abuse among Nigerian youths. The findings indicated that approximately 20.9% of youths engage in substance abuse, translating to about 2 in every 10 young individuals [7].
Further, the Drug Use Survey in Nigeria 2019 highlights the severe consequences of drug abuse, which affects individuals, families, and society. Health-related impacts are particularly alarming, with one in five drug users suffering from drug use disorders. At the same time, dependency rates are highest among cannabis users (one in three), pharmaceutical opioid users (one in five), and amphetamine users (one in seven). Among people who inject drugs (PWID), 9.2% reported living with HIV, 7.8% with hepatitis B, and 5.1% with tuberculosis, underscoring the significant public health risks. The social effects of drug abuse are equally concerning, as nearly 50% of users reported problems at home, school, or work, while 12% of Nigerians experienced direct harm due to another person’s drug use, including financial losses and physical violence. Legal consequences are also widespread, with nearly 25% of high-risk drug users having been arrested for drug-related offences, predominantly for possession, while others were involved in crimes such as theft (12%), burglary (4%), and sex work (5%) to sustain their addiction. These statistics demonstrate the urgent need for strengthened drug prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation programs to address the growing crisis in Nigeria [8].
My Personal Story
Enough of the statistics and studies; I wish to tell a story, one I experienced firsthand. It is a story of a young, vibrant, and intelligent boy I met during my undergraduate studies. I would call him Paul (Note: This is to maintain anonymity).
I met Paul during my penultimate year as a roommate. We were assigned the same room at the beginning of the semester, though I resumed earlier than him but had to go home later on due to health challenges. Within the period of my absence due to health challenges, Paul resumed.
I came back and met Paul afterwards. Paul was an intelligent, amusing individual and was studying a course considered by many to be intellectually challenging after getting admission on merit. However, with these characteristics stated, I observed his display of abnormal behaviours; an instance was his constant flipping of himself from the bed to the floor and laughing hysterically afterwards. He experienced insomnia and restlessness and would miss academic activities. He also displayed other worrying behaviour, which made me and other roommates uncomfortable.
Later on, we learnt he was into drugs of many sorts, with all forms of intake including but not limited to smoking, swallowing, and injecting. Lo and behold, I was faced with a chronic drug abuser and could see the effects glaringly, such as a lack of personal hygiene, loss of focus, his academics suffered, and real relationships never existed. It got so bad that his health suffered, and his hair turned yellow while it fell.
Paul's family was experiencing challenges, including heavy financial burdens due to the effects of his drug dependence. At one time, I called his mum concerning his deteriorating health, and his Mum went into full blast and denied him.
This experience shook me to my roots. I watched a brilliant mind who schooled through secondary school on scholarship on merit, got admitted to study medicine on merit, wasting away, becoming a vegetable. In simple words, I saw him metamorphose from being a human to an animal seeking the next high. Ah!
Paul is among the many I have seen wasting away due to drug abuse. Today, there are more Pauls than ever in our society. They reside close to us, are our friends, family members, or you could be a Paul reading this.
What Can We Do?
I know this is a topic society is currently hushing on; no one wants to talk about it, especially when we are involved personally or someone we love. However, I am here to tell you that you are not alone and that we must speak up collectively. I have experienced my portion of addiction in another form as well, and I can tell you, the first step is talking about it, seeking help, telling your stories.
I hold the view that society is not speaking enough of the consequences brought on by substance abuse because there are voices at the other end vehemently praising and glorifying it. One endorsed by celebrities of all forms, explicitly and implicitly, on camera.
And we end up with phrases like “see, x and y are doing it, it's not that bad, they are successful,” but we forget, nobody washes their dirty linens in public. There is a wrong understanding of cause and effect, especially among youths.
A quick question: “Does the use of these drugs prove to aid in the creativity expressed by these persons?”
The answer is a big “NO,” and it harms individuals' productivity. A look at some notable celebrities who have fought substance addiction in the past shows this truth. In the YouTube series documentary of Justin Bieber, titled “Justin Bieber Seasons,” the artist shares his story of substance use and states that “I was like dying.”[9]
Further, it is the story of Marshall Bruce Mathers III, popularly known as Eminem, who battled with prescription drug addiction, which is termed as legal, underscoring the variability of the issue of drug abuse and how it negatively affects even the best creative minds.[10]
Going back to answering “what we can do” starts with going back to the basics and acknowledging that:
- Taking drugs of any form, either illicit or prescribed, without the prescription of a certified medical practitioner is bad.
- That there is no advantage to substance abuse and the use and glorification of it by certain individuals termed ‘Celebrities’ does not change this reality, as they could as well be victims.
Furthermore, there is a need for strong grassroots advocacy in schools and homes by teachers, parents, and community leaders. I do not want a paparazzi-style advocacy or action driven by funding and cameras while eating food in a fancy hall, calling it a “roundtable.” There is a need for NGOs to return to schools and speak the truth about the effects of substance abuse and the alternative of a better life.
Also, government institutions like the National Orientation Agency should focus on issues like this, rather than facade-like advocacy initiatives such as the one on “National symbols” when persons to uphold these symbols are under threat.
There is also a need to provide access to getting help, such as rehabilitation centres equipped with trained professionals. These could be provided by governments at all levels, NGOs, faith-based organisations, and well-meaning private individuals. Thus, I am aware of the efforts in providing help by the enumerated sources; however, more needs to be done.
In addition to this, there is a need for political will and stricter enforcement of laws prohibiting drug trafficking. There is a need to reduce the availability and sources to procure these drugs on the streets of the country. I must admit the efforts of NDLEA reflected in its arrest numbers, reaching 86,314 suspects arrested between 2000-2014; however, more needs to be done
However, principal to all is a need to return to our established value system as a society, where parents are keen on their children's development while being role models to their wards, especially during adolescence, and the principle of a “village training a child”.
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