The HEART2HEART INITIATIVES today launched out to schools in some part of Benin city to preach about the dangers of abuse of drugs...
it will interest you to know the level of how teenagers are involved in the abuse of drugs...we are beginning to loose teenagers and youth who are to take over leadership to the cold hands of death because of various drug abuse......

Highlights of Drug Abuse in our society and its effects,what you need to know

Drug abuse is the excessive, maladaptive, or addictive use of drugs for non-medicinal purposes. It also defines a state, emotional and sometimes physical, characterized by a compulsion to take drugs on a constant basis in order to experience its mental effects. Drug abuse gives rise to dependence both physical and psychological. Dependence gives rise to mental, emotional, biological or physical, social and economic instability. The effects of drug abuse on an individual therefore form the basis for its cumulative effects on the society. This is the major danger of drug abuse.

Youth in any society occupy a delicate and sensitive position within the population structure for several reasons. The Nigerian law for example recognizes that an individual below the age of seven is incapable of committing a crime and an individual between seven and twelve years should be able to know what he ought not to do that is if it can be proved he doesn't know and he also isn't criminally responsible for his acts. Between the ages of twelve and seventeen, a person is regarded as a juvenile, and while he may be held responsible for his acts or omissions, he is treated specially under the law by the Children and Young Persons Act instead of the Criminal Procedure Act.

Statistics have shown that drug barons prefer recruiting their traffickers from the ages of 15 to 35 years, most of whom are either unskilled, unschooled or students or the unemployed. There are several factors, which can influence the abuse of drugs among youths. The major ones are: peer pressure, weak parental control, child abuse, imitation, emotional stress, truancy among students, the availability of the drugs and the ineffectiveness of the laws on drug trafficking.

Types of drugs commonly abused by youths
Virtually any substance whose ingestion can result in a euphoric ("high" feeling can be abused. While
many are aware of the abuse of legal substances like alcohol or illegal drugs like marijuana (in most
states) and cocaine, less well known is the fact that inhalants like household cleaners are some of the most
commonly abused substances. Other form of drugs like Indian hemp, which is commonly produced in
Nigeria and others like methamphetamine, syrups and tablets with codeine capable of intoxicating are
mostly found in military barracks, schools, and motor parks and even with local traders that sell
provisions in kiosks. Miller (1974) argued that the following are some of the drugs and types of drugs that
are commonly abused and/or result in dependence by youth:
i)
Alcohol
: Although legal, alcohol is a toxic substance, particularly to a developing fetus when a
mother consumes this drug during pregnancy. One of the most common addictions, alcoholism
can have devastating effects on the alcoholic individual's physical health, as well as his or her
ability to function interpersonally and at work. Example of alcohol, beer, stout, ogogoro,
burukutu, aspetesi, pito, palmwine, sapele water, kai kai they all contain alcohol.
ii)
Cocaine
: A drug that tends to stimulate the nervous system, cocaine can be snorted in powder
form, smoked when in the form of rocks ("crack" cocaine), or injected when made into a liquid.
iii)
Nicotine
: The addictive substance found in cigarettes, nicotine is actually one of the most
addictive substances that exist. In fact, nicotine addiction is often compared to the intense
addictiveness associated with opiates like heroin.
iv)
Phencyclidine
: Commonly referred to as PCP, this drug can cause the user to feel extremely
paranoid, become quite aggressive and to have an unusual amount of physical strength. This can
make the individual quite dangerous to others.
v)
Sedative, hypnotic, or ant anxiety drugs
: As these substances quell or depress the nervous
system, they can cause death by respiratory arrest of the person who either uses these drugs in
overdose or who mixes one or more of these drugs with another nervous system depressant drug
(like alcohol, another sedative drug, or an opiate).

Hydrocarbons - Glue, gasoline, cleaning solutions, varnish, paint thinners, nail polish remover, and lighter fluids, all distilled from petroleum and natural gas, belong to the class of hydrocarbons. They are usually inhaled or sniffed.

Heroin: Heroin was first synthesized from morphine with a bitter taste. Illicit heroin may vary in both form and color, from white to dark brown. Heroin is about three times more potent than morphine, and it is readily available in Nigeria. and many others.

The Effects of Frequently Used of Drugs
i)
Methamphetamine Effects “Wired” sleeplessness for days and weeks at a time, total loss of
appetite, extreme weight loss, dilated pupils, excited, talkative, deluded sense of power, paranoia,
depression, loss of control, nervousness, unusual sweating, shaking, anxiety, hallucinations,
aggression, violence, dizziness, mood changes, blurred vision, mental confusion, agitation”
(Harper, 2008).
ii)
Ecstasy Effects (Changes in mental and physical stimulation, altered perception of sound, light,
touch. Stimulation of physical energy with related decrease in appetite and increase in body
temperature. Increase in emotional response and sensual reactions. Teeth clenching, muscle
cramping, nausea, chills and sweating. Body may overheat which can lead to fatalities).
iii)
Cocaine Effects (Impaired thinking, confused, anxious, depressed, short tempered, panic attacks,
suspiciousness, dilated pupils, sleeplessness, loss of appetite, decreased sexual drive, restlessness,
irritability, very talkative, scratching, hallucinations, paranoia). Furthermore, one can divide the
effects into short term and long term. The short term effects includes; Loss of appetite, faster
breathing, increased heart rate and blood pressure, increased body temperature, sweating, dilation
of pupils, bizarre, erratic, sometimes violent behaviour. Others are hallucinations, talkativeness,
sense of power and superiority, restlessness, hyper-excitability, irritability which can lead to
panic and paranoid, psychosis (disappears if discontinued). According to Afe (1992) Excessive
doses may lead to convulsions, seizures, stroke, and cerebral hemorrhagic or heart failure. While
the long term effects includes the following can be identified; Destruction of tissues in nose if
sniffed, respiratory problems if smoked, infectious diseases, abscesses, if injected, malnutrition
and weight loss.
v)
Inhalant Effects (Short-term euphoria, giggling, silliness, dizziness, followed by headaches and
fainting or unconsciousness. Long-term use: Memory loss, emotional instability, impairment of
reasoning, slurred speech, clumsy, staggering gait, eye flutter, tremors, hearing loss, loss of sense
of smell, and escalating stages of brain atrophy. Sometimes these serious long-term effects are
reversible with body detoxification and nutritional therapy; sometimes the brain damage is
irreversible or only partially reversible).
vi)
Heroin Effects (Chemically enforced euphoria, a dreamlike state similar to sleep in which the
person can drift off for minutes or hours at a time. For long-time abusers, heroin may act like a
stimulant, and they can perform a normal daily routine. Others may find themselves completely
powerless to do anything) . many more....

Consequences of Drug Abuse on the Youth
Young people who persistently abuse substances often experience an array of problems, including academic
difficulties, health-related problems (including mental health), poor peer relationships, and involvement with
the juvenile justice system. Additionally, there are consequences for family members, the community, and the
entire society.
Academic effects of drug abuse
Declining grades, absenteeism from school and other activities, and increased potential for dropping out of
school are problems associated with adolescent substance abuse. Hawkins, Catalano, and Miller (1992) cite
research indicating that a low level of commitment to education and higher truancy rates appear to be related
to substance use among adolescents. Cognitive and behavioural problems experienced by alcohol- and drug-
using youth may interfere with their academic performance and also present obstacles to learning for their
classmates (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1992).
and many others,

And at the end of the event a phone number was released for those passing through this issues,those that also need someone to talk to

call or text 0816558265
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and we encourage every nigeria to join to support this fight against drugs abuse by using the hashtag #drugsnobefood #nayourfuturematter2us