According to Prof. Chinua Achebe, “My own assessment is that the role of the writer is not a rigid position and depends to some extent on the state of health of his or her society. In other words, if a society is ill the writer has a responsibility to point it out. If the society is healthier, the writer’s job is different.”
Imran Hassan
The menace of drug abuse has become a wide phenomenon and obvious in our society today, and it is also on the increase. Youths are facing an ever- increasing number of dilemmas. One of these is drug abuse.
Intoxicant also encompasses narcotics because they too, among other things, result in the loss of self- control. Youths are the bedrock of the society. It’s disheartening that some of today’s youths who are supposed to be tomorrow’s leader have become corrupted youths.
However, the societies have become polluted with illicit drug consumption, which in turn brings backwardness and a great hazard to the society. In other words, the society is the victim. According to Gagara(1997);”Drug Abuse, on the other hand, refers to un-medical and self-prescribed use of drugs for whatever purpose.”
Gilmer(1975) posits” that Drug Abuse is any substance that interferes with a person’s health or ability to do well in school or to earn an appropriate living, or when there is disruption of a person’s individual or social adjustment or both.”
Many factors have led some youths to this obvious menace. Parent’s negligence to train their wards effectively contributed to this immensely. However, over pampering or over protection sometimes lead youth to indulge in smoking before they graduate to drug abuse. Influence of peer group made some youths to learn different attitudes ranging from all sorts of social vices. At times its peer group pressures that influence some to indulge in these illicit acts so as to avoid been called “uncivilized” or “unsocialized” etc.
Owners of uncompleted and dilapidated buildings also contribute to this menace, because these drug addicts turned those buildings to their “jungle” where they smoke Marijuana, Cigarettes and abuse all sorts of drugs. To make matter worst, this includes both males and females. In fact, some married women are not left behind in this menace.
Some of them send their wards to several chemists to purchase hard drugs for them to consume which in turn made impact on those children. The youths are also exposed to this information by the mass media like radio, television and video houses. For instance, the mass media has often times advertised drugs such as cigarettes, alcohol, etc in such attractive ways, that youths who are so itchy, explorative and volatile always fall prey to this. The television progammes are always so glamorous that the youths are most likely to try them, and eventually go on using them. Also, most political aspirants do cause problems too, especially; before electioneering. The politicians whom desire to steal public mandate, and to win the election at all cost made them to hire some thugs. They therefore employ the services of drug addicts to carry out the job for them.
They sponsor the activities of those youths and buy them all they need including hard drugs. When one of these youth is caught with illegal drugs by the appropriate agents, these politicians follow all means to get those youths out of police custody. However, this illicit act contributed a lot towards supply and demand of hard drugs. Frustration also led some youths into drugs, most especially students who had written exams, such as;” WAEC, NECO, JAMB” etc. severally and were unable to make it or get good results, later took to drugs. While some tertiary institution students take drugs to feel bright and intelligent; to pass their examinations with flying colours. Those students do this by engaging in the use of codeine ,tutolyn poured inside Coke,Fanta and lacasera can. The major factor of this problem is unemployment. Most of those youths complained that it was joblessness that made them to engage in such illicit acts.
However, the negligence of the government in terms of legislation to deter has made quacks individuals to be establishing drug stores everywhere, where drugs are freely abused and sold. Some of these drugs include Codeine, Tutolyn, Tramol, Morphine, Heroin etc. Furthermore, others take alcohol and marijuana of which all are medically harmful to health.
Therefore,as a consequence of the high rate of drug consumption, most of these youths engage in criminal activities such as, rape, assassination, stealing, prostitution, armed robbery, burglary, theft etc. Therefore, drug abuse makes the society insecure. All hands needs to be on deck to tackle this great social hazard in our society. Parents should give their children good moral training and discipline and they should also know whom their children associate with in terms of peer group. As the saying goes” Show me your friend and I will tell you who you are.” The elders in the society should also assist in monitoring the activities of the youth by giving them advice on what will benefit them, because they are tomorrow’s leaders. Religious leaders, both Imams and Pastors, should preach against drug abuse in their respective sermons at their various mosques and churches. The government should also revive and toughen its purchase and sales of drugs and provide job opportunities for all these idle youths because it is said that “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” The media should also enlighten the public on the harmful effect of drug abuse on the youths.
More Rebilitation centers should be established by the government to treat those youths who are willing to quit smoking and drug consumption. The social workers and all NGOs should also assist in launching a campaign against the menace. Lastly, but not the least, the NDLEA should launch a campaign in both primary, secondary and tertiary institutions in the country against Drug Abuse, to create strong awareness to all about the brutal effects and consequences of drug abuse.
Imran Hassan,student writes from Bayero University,kano.
+2348067749615,[email protected]
