PREVALENCE OF DRUG ABUSE AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IMADE COLLEGE OWO, ONDO STATE

he term drug is defined as any substance that when absorbed into a living organism may modify one or more of its physiological functions. The term is generally used in reference to a substance taken for both therapeutic purpose and abused substances (Kwamanga, Odhiambo & Amukoye, 2003). Globally and even regionally, drug and substance abuse is an ever expanding problem and is recognized as a threat with serious effects on people’s health, security, social-economic and cultural welfare. In Nigeria, students have consistently shown that there is considerable prevalence of drug and substance use; with varying preference rates found for both overall and specific drug abuse (Abdulkarim, 2005). Some of these commonly abused substances include tobacco, Miraa (khat), bhang, alcohol, cocaine, mandrax and heroine (NACADA, 2006). Drugs pose a very big problem in the world today and it is ruining the lives of many millions of people both in adolescent and general population. The use of illegal drugs has spread at a high rate and has penetrated every part of the world. No nation has been spared from the devastating problem caused by drugs and substance abuse. Kenya has not been spared either and in most cases it has been as a transit point of hard drugs especially through Nairobi and Mombasa. Trafficking of hard drugs into developing countries has not spared Kenya the drug consumption and dependence among secondary and college students and has led to unrest and consequently wide ranging destruction of life and property (Ngesu, Ndiku & Masese, 2008).Factors influencing students to drug use have been identified among them parental influence whereby it has been noted that children from homes where parents take drugs tend to 2 imitate their parents’ behaviors and 9 by modeling they also start using drugs (Ngesu, et al 2008).