Substance Abuse and its Prevalence Among Secondary School Adolescents in Kagoro, Kaduna State, Nigeria

Despite the existing scanty data on patterns of drug abuse in specific groups in the Nigerian communities due to the tendency of changing patterns in illicit drug use with various alarming reports on same points to the need to constantly update information on the use of drugs among Nigerian adolescents. This was a cross sectional, descriptive study on the prevalence of substance use amongst adolescents. A total number of 400 Senior Secondary Schools 1,2,3 students from two selected schools in Kagoro Chiefdom of Kaura local government area in Kaduna State (Nigeria) were randomly administered with a pre-coded four sections (socio-demographic information, drug awareness and use, attitude of the students to drug abuse and practice of substance abuse). Out of a total of 400 respondents, which males constituted 75% and females 25% of substance users. 89.20% were aware of substance use and 10.80 % were not aware. Substances used were alcohol (52.58%), analgesics (33.7%), marijuana (2.59%), cigarette (1.72%), glue/solution (0.86%) and other local substances (8.62%) respectively. Family setting of respondents taking substance (66.6%:5.95%:27.4%) from monogamous, polygamous and extended families respectively. Factors responsible for engagement in substance use was curiosity 38.10%, peer pressure 19.05%, depression 7.14%, energy for work 4.76%, home problems 1.19%, festivities aura 11.90% beliefs 5.96%, others 11.90%. 58.3% of respondents were introduced to substance use by friends, while 25% were introduced by their family members. Curiosity and peer pressure which is a characteristic of this age group are the major reasons for indulgence in substance use as well the ease at obtaining substances. Family also plays a role.nbs