HEALTH EFFECTS OF DRUG AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE

Introduction

The menace of drugs and substance abuse in Nigeria has reached a frightening proportion and it pervaded every fibre in the society. Youths are the most venerable and deeply involve group in the social menace of drugs abuse. 

While globalization has opened opportunities for individuals and communities to increase wealth and spending, it has also widened access to previously restricted products across national boundaries including illicit drugs.

Definitions

Drug: In pharmacology, a drug is "a chemical substance used in the treatment, cure, prevention, or diagnosis of disease or used to otherwise enhance physical or mental well-being.”

Drug abuse: Drug abuse is an excessive and persistent self-administration of a drug without regard to the medically or culturally accepted patterns.

Classes of drug and substance of abuse

Stimulants: These are substances that directly act and stimulate the central nervous system. The major source of these comes from caffeine substance.

Narcotics: These drugs relive pains, induce sleeping and they are addictive. They are found in heroin, codeine, opium etc.

Hallucinogens: These are drugs that alter the sensory processing unit in the brain. Thus, producing distorted perception, feeling of anxiety and euphoria, sadness and inner joy, they normally come from marijuana, LSD etc.

Tranquillizers: They are believed to produce calmness without bringing drowsiness. They are chiefly derived from Librium, Valium etc.

Miscellaneous/solvents: This is a group of volatile solvents or inhalants that provide euphoria, emotional disinhibition and perpetual distortion of thought to the user. The main sources are glues, spot removers, tube repair, perfumes, chemicals etc.

Sedatives: These drugs are among the most widely used and abused. This is largely due to the belief that they relieve stress and anxiety, and some of them induce sleep, ease tension, cause relaxation or help users to forget their problems. They are sourced from valium, alcohol, promethazine, chloroform

Why do people abuse drugs and substances?

* To feel good

* To feel better

* To do better

* Experimental curiosity and because others are doing it

* Peer group influence

* Lack of parental supervision

* The need for energy to work for long 

* Availability of the drugs

* The need to prevent the occurrence of withdrawal symptoms

* Advertisement

* Emotional and psychological stresses, such as anxiety

* Social pathologies/Personality problems e.g. poverty

Health effects of drug and substance abuse

Alcohol-related problems

* Physical problems e.g. liver cirrhosis, pancreatic, peptic ulcer, tuberculosis, hypertension, neurological disorder.

* Mental retardation for the foetus in the womb, growth, deficiency, delayed motor development.

* Craniofacial abnormalities, limbs abnormalities and cardiac deficits.

* Psychiatric e.g. pathological drunkenness, suicidal behaviour. 

* Socially-broken homes, increased crime rate, sexual offences, homicide and sexually transmitted diseases.

Stimulants: Lethargy, irritability, exaggerated self-confidence, damage nose linings, sleeplessness, and psychiatric complications.

Inhalants: Causes anaemia, damage kidney and stomach bleeding.

Narcotics: Causes poor perception, constipation, cough, suppression, vomiting, drowsiness and sleep, unconsciousness and death.

Tobacco: Causes stimulation of heart and narrowing of blood vessels, producing hypertension, headache, loss of appetite, nausea and delayed growth of the foetus. It also aggravates or causes sinusitis, bronchitis, cancer, strokes, and heart attack.