ABSTRACT
This work was done to final out the assessment of the Counsellor’s role
in the fight against drug abuse, because
drug abuse has become a serious problem
we are facing both in Nigeria and
in other parts of the world.
The
objectives of this research is to find
out if drug abuse has increased crime rate in Nigeria, to find out if the
Counsellor is performing their functions
effectively, its assessment in the fight
against drug abuse in Nigeria and what impression people have about drug
abuse in Nigeria.
A
critical review of related literature
was made. The methodology used, the
research design, sample, the method of
data collection and analysis is
found in chapter three.
Chapter
four is devoted to the analysis of data
collected and results of the research.
Tables were used in the results.
Chapter
five contains the summary of the study and the recommendations for further
study.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background to the Study
According to the World Drug Report
(2005), the use of illicit drugs has increased throughout the world in recent
years. The report further states that a major world trend is the increasing
availability of many kinds of drugs to an ever widening socio- economic
spectrum of consumers. The report argues that the main problem drugs at global
level continue to be opiates (notably heroine) followed by cocaine. For
example, for most of Europe and Asia, opiates continued to be the main problem
drugs, accounting for 62 percent of all treatment in 2003. Reports from a total
of 95 countries indicated that drug seizures increased four-fold in 2003, and
more than half of these were of cannabis.
Every country in the world, developed
or developing, incurs substantial costs as a result of damages caused by
substance abuse (World Drug Report, 2005). The World Health Organization (WHO)
estimates that 1.1 billion people, representing a third of the world population
above the age of 15 years, use tobacco, principally in the form of the
cigarettes. Of the 800 million smokers, 700 million of them are males in
developing countries (WHO, 2004). While smoking rates have been declining in
the developed world, they have increased in the developing countries by as much
as 50 percent, especially in Asia and in the Pacific region, over the last
decade. Addiction to tobacco is therefore a major problem in the developing
countries. According to the same report, tobacco Sources four million deaths
annually, not including prenatal morbidity and mortality. This figure is
projected to rise to 1.6 million by the year 2025, 70 percent of which will
occur in the developing world if current trends continue (INCB, 2003).
According to the African Union
Ministerial Conference on Drug Control in Africa report (2004), at least 16
countries in Africa have reported abuse of opiates, with prevalence rates
ranging from 0.01 to 0.8 percent for the population aged 15 and above. Twelve
countries reported cocaine abuse with prevalence ranging from 0.01 to
1.1 percent for this age bracket.
Concurrently, the age of those initiated to drug use is diminishing with large
numbers of in-school and out-of-school youth consuming drugs. This phenomenon
is even more acute in conflict and post conflict countries, with populations
experiencing high stress levels while child soldiers are provided with drugs to
enable them to fight.
All the while, Africa’s role in the
global drugs supply chain is increasing. Already the continent is the second
largest region for cannabis production, trafficking and consumption, accounting
for 26 percent of global seizures of this drug in 2001 (UNODC, 2004). By
country, the largest hauls in this period were in Nigeria, Nigeria, and the
Republic of South Africa, while Morocco is said to be one of the main producers
of Cannabis resin.
According to a report by the
International Narcotics Control Board (INCB, 2006), the East African region has
become the fallback for drug dealers following increased control of traditional
routes through the Netherlands and Spain. The warning followe the discovery of
cocaine worth 6.4 billion Nigeria Naira in Imo and Enugu on December 14, 2004
(Daily Nation, March 2, 2006).
The situation described above is true
in developed countries that have been experimenting with such drugs for a long
period. However, developing countries are not exempt from the dangers. All
countries, Nigeria included, are vulnerable. It has been noted that Nigeria is
one of the developing countries in Africa that has lately been experiencing
rapid increase in production, distribution and consumption of multiple drugs of
dependence (Acuda and Yambo 1983; World Health Organization, 1995; Daily
Nation, March 2, 2006). In the face of this challenge, a broad spectrum of the
world community has demonstrated intense concern about the problem. It is in the best interests of every nation,
including Nigeria, to take a firm stand in combating all aspects of drug abuse.
In 1990, the United Nations General
Assembly created the United Nations Drug Control Programme (UNDCP). The
creation of UNDCP will be based on the recognition of the need for an
organization that would foster concerted international action against illicit
drug production, trafficking and abuse. Its formation is evidence of the
determination of the governments of the world, working through the United
Nations (UN) to put an end to these transnational phenomena.
The Nigeria government has ratified
two major United UN conventions on narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances
in its quest to protect its citizens from the ravages of the global drug abuse
menace. These include the Single Convention on Narcotic
Drugs (1961) and the Convention
against Illicit Trafficking on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances
(1988). The government is currently working towards the ratification of the
Convention on Psychotropic Substances (1971). In 1994, the government enacted a
new anti-drug law, the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Control Act, as
well as forming the Nigeria Anti-Narcotic Unit.
Within Nigeria itself, drug abuse is
becoming an increasing problem Masita (2004), almost every Nigerian youngster
at one time or another experiments with drugs, especially with beer and
cigarettes. Although the regular users of hardcore drugs are much fewer than
those of cigarette and alcohol, the study argues that the major cause of
concern is that a high proportion of these young people eventually become
addicted threatening their own health and safety, and causing difficulties for
their families and friends.
Findings from a National Survey on
Alcohol and Drug Abuse conducted by NACADA in 2012 shows that 13.3% of
Nigerians are currently using alcohol, 9.1% tobacco, 4.2% miraa, 1.0% bhang and
0.1% heroin. Overall, bhang is the most easily available illicit drug in the
country at 49% followed by cocaine while heroin is the least available illicit
drug in the country. Alcohol is the most commonly abused substance in the
country and poses the greatest harm to Nigerians as evidenced by the numerous
calamities associated with excessive consumption and adulteration of illicit brews. Among the different types
of alcoholic drinks, traditional liquor is the most easily accessible type of
alcohol followed by wines and spirits and lastly chang’aa a local brew. 30 % of Nigerians aged 15-65 have ever consumed
alcohol in their
life;
13.3% of Nigerians currently consume
alcohol that means that at least 4 million people. Worrying, though is that the
median age of first use of all drugs has gone as low as 10 years.
Drug abuse has become rampant in
our society and this has posed a problem because a society filled with
filled with drug addicts and drug
dependents cannot move forward. A nation filled with people who misuse, abuse
or are addicted to drugs will have a
high rate of increase in crime, prostitution etc. it also makes way for
drug traffic kicking in the society. It constitutes a major public health hazard and is a part of
general and social disorganization we see around us that
is, breeds comatose patients, and
various melody cases that
constitute the urban eyeore that dent the image of a nation. It
contributes significantly to breakdown of law and order and
establishment of various circles of abuses, deficiency, criminality and
further abuse. Drug abuse has also led to the diversion of scarce resources to
cure addicts, and to rehabilitate them, building of psychiatric hospitals, breakdown of societal norms and values, leading to up
heavily, anarchy and other vices in the
society, posing more problem than to be
solved.
Such problems call for in-depth research to help salvage the situation to avoid
the set back it created for our society and this has to be done with the
help of the Counsellor in order to inform and educate the people on what that effects of drug abuse can cause to the society, and to the
people involved .
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
In the
research statement, I highlighted some of the
problems which called for the research. The objectives of this study
thus includes:
a. To
find out if drug abuse has increased
crime rate in Nigeria.
b. To
investigate how far the Counsellor has gone in informing and educating
the society about serious issues in Nigeria.
c. To evaluate its assessment in the role it has
played in the fight against drug abuse
in Nigeria.
d. To
find out the impressions people have
about drug abuse in Nigeria.
Significance of the Study
The proposed study could help the
Ministry of Education (M.O.E.) to better understand the current situation and
accordingly make changes to address the factors that contribute to substance
abuse in secondary schools. Nigeria, like many other developing countries, is
faced with the social problem of high rates of substance abuse. To make matters
worse, the percentage of substance abusers in schools increases yearly despite
the efforts to eradicate the problem. Failure to solve this problem not only
threatens the life of individuals, but also the economic and social development of the country
as a whole. The current study is useful in contributing to
the general body of knowledge in this
area. Beyond that, however, it also explores the potential of schools to curb
the drug problem.
The study should help to make policy
makers, administrators and teachers aware of the factors hindering the
effectiveness of the approaches which attempt to curb drug abuse and, where
possible, create opportunities to eradicate the problem. The proposed programme
would be useful in educating all Nigerians, youth and adults, on the risks of
substance consumption. Thus, this study would play an important role in
reducing, or even preventing high rates of substance use and abuse. Based on
the findings, recommendations are made. If followed, these recommendations
would be useful to administrators and policy makers in curbing substance abuse
in schools through improving existing educational programmes, and striving to
develop ones that are even more efficient. The study would also help in
promoting a drug-free school environment and better academic performance, thus
improving the standards of education in the country. In the absence of specific policies on substance abuse in
schools this study makes important recommendations on the way forward.
Drug: Any
product other than food or water that affects the way people feel, think, see,
and behave. It is a substance that due to its chemical nature affects physical,
mental and emotional functioning. It can enter the body through chewing,
inhaling, smoking, drinking, rubbing on the skin or injection.
Drug abuse:
Use of drugs for purposes other than medical reasons. It refers to misuse of
any psychotropic substances resulting in changes in bodily functions, thus
affecting the individual in a negative way socially, cognitively or physically.
Social effects may be reflected in an individual’s enhanced tendency to engage
in conflicts with friends, teachers, and school authorities. Cognitive effects
relate to the individual’s lack of concentration on academic work and memory
loss such as “blackouts.
Drug addiction:
Addiction to drugs or alcohol means that a person’s body can no longer function
without these substances. The addictive substances usually have negative
effects, for example, they can alter mental state and behaviour to a point
where the individual becomes a threat to himself and others. Once a person
becomes addicted, it is hard to stop using drugs.
According to Bawkin and Bawkin
(1972), an addicted person may show a decline in academic performance,
frequently fails to attend classes, loses interest in school work and displays
weakened motor coordination, poor health, and lack of interest in old
friendships. Addiction by its nature distorts thinking processes giving
prominence to thoughts which justify continuing addictive behaviour, and
minimizing or excluding consideration of reasons for ceasing it.
Drug related problems: This term is used to describe all negative effects associated with drug
abuse such as violence, conflicts with friends or school authorities,
destruction of school property and academic underperformance.
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