The implications of drug abuse: a case study of North West senatorial zone, Jigawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

Drug abuse by youth has grown to be a global social threat.  This has implications for mental health in addition to physical health problems.  Illegal drug use increases the risk of sickness, suicide, criminality, and social unrest in Sub-Saharan African nations.  The situation is the same in Nigeria, particularly in the north.  The North-West is where illicit drug use is most prevalent.  The states of Jigawa and Kano have the highest rates of teenage drug addicts in the area.  Six Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Jigawa State's North-West Senatorial Zone—Kazaure, Rano, Ringim, Babura, Gumel, and Sule-Tankarkar—were the sites of this study. The study found that cigarette, marijuana, and tramadol consumption is higher among drug users. The greatest rate of drug use was 39.3 percent, with abusers taking it twice daily. The study also indicated that peer group influence was the primary cause of drug misuse among youngsters (59.6 percent), with 44.7 percent coming from pharmaceutical shops. The establishment of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and NAFDAC appeared to be the government's most effective attempts to combat the scourge.  The study used a total sample size of 94. The study drew on both primary and secondary data.