Drug Abuse – JSS3 Civic Education Lesson Note (Second Term)

Drug abuse is the habitual use of drugs that are not needed for medical purposes.

• Aim of the user: to change mood or state of consciousness, or to affect a body function unnecessarily.
• Commonly abused drugs: alcohol, nicotine, marijuana, cocaine and heroin.
• Effects on society: violence, robbery and many other social problems.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. define a drug;
2. explain the meaning of drug abuse;
3. name some commonly abused drugs;
4. state the causes of drug abuse;
5. state the effects of drug abuse on society;
6. suggest ways of preventing drug abuse.

What is a drug?

A drug is a natural or synthetic substance that, when taken into a living body, affects its functioning or structure.

• Diagnosis: some drugs help doctors find out what disease a person has.
• Mitigation: some drugs reduce the pain or severity of an illness.
• Treatment: some drugs cure or control a disease, such as an antimalarial for malaria.
• Prevention: some drugs stop a disease before it starts.
• Relief of discomfort: some drugs ease pain or fever, such as paracetamol.

What is drug abuse?

Drug abuse is the habitual use of a drug for a nontherapeutic effect, also called the nonmedical use of drugs.

• Purpose: it is done solely to alter one’s mood, affect or state of consciousness.
• Body function: it may also be done to affect a body function unnecessarily, for example laxative abuse.
• No medical need: the person is not taking the drug on a doctor’s advice for an illness.

What is the difference between drug use, drug misuse and drug abuse?

Drug use is taking a drug correctly for an illness, as a doctor or pharmacist directs.

Drug misuse is taking a medicine wrongly, for example in the wrong dose or for the wrong illness.

Drug abuse is taking a drug habitually for reasons that are not medical.

Which drugs are commonly abused?

The commonly abused drugs fall into four main groups: stimulants, depressants, opioids and cannabis.

Complete list of commonly abused drugs

• Alcohol: found in beer, wine and spirits.
• Nicotine: found in cigarettes and other tobacco products.
• Marijuana: made from the cannabis plant.
• Amphetamines: stimulants that keep a person awake and overactive.
• Barbiturates: sedatives that cause sleepiness.
• Cocaine: a strong stimulant made from the coca plant.
• Methaqualone: a sedative drug.
• Opium alkaloids: drugs obtained from the opium poppy.
• Synthetic opioids: man-made drugs that act like opium.
• Benzodiazepines: sedatives and tranquillisers.
• Heroin: a powerful opioid made from morphine.

What are the causes of drug abuse?

Drug abuse has many causes, and most of them involve a young person’s friends, home or environment.

• Peer pressure: friends push a young person to try drugs.
• Curiosity: some young people want to know how a drug feels.
• Stress: some people use drugs to escape worry or sadness.
• Broken homes: poor parental care and lack of guidance can lead to drug use.
• Ignorance: some people do not know the dangers of drugs.
• Easy availability: drugs are easy to get in some communities.
• Unemployment and poverty: idle young people may turn to drugs.

What are the signs of drug abuse?

The signs of drug abuse are changes in a person’s health, behaviour and school work.

• Sudden mood changes: the person becomes angry, sad or very quiet.
• Poor school results: marks fall and the person loses interest in lessons.
• Change of friends: the person begins to keep company with known drug users.
• Secrecy: the person hides things and lies about where they have been.
• Neglect of appearance: the person stops caring about cleanliness and dress.

What are the effects of drug abuse on society?

Drug abuse harms the user, the family and the whole community.

• Bad behaviour: drug abusers often become rude, disobedient and disrespectful.
• Poor performance in school: students cannot concentrate and their grades fall.
• Violence: abusers may fight and hurt other people.
• Truancy: students stay away from school without permission.
• Prostitution: some abusers sell sex to get money for drugs.
• Robbery: some abusers steal to pay for drugs.
• Murder: a person under the influence of drugs may kill another person.
• Financial problems: money is wasted on drugs and the family becomes poor.
• Sexually transmitted infections or diseases: unsafe sexual behaviour spreads infections.

What are the effects of drug abuse on the health of the user?

• Addiction: the body and mind depend on the drug and the person cannot stop.
• Mental illness: some drugs damage the brain and cause confusion.
• Organ damage: heavy alcohol use harms the liver, and smoking harms the lungs.
• Overdose: taking too much of a drug can lead to death.

How can drug abuse be prevented?

Drug abuse can be prevented through education, good parenting, counselling and the enforcement of drug laws.

1. Drug education: schools, churches, mosques and the media teach young people the dangers of drugs.
2. Parental care: parents guide their children and watch the friends they keep.
3. Counselling: school counsellors help students with problems before they turn to drugs.
4. Law enforcement: agencies such as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrest drug dealers and traffickers.
5. Rehabilitation: drug abusers receive treatment and counselling to help them recover.
6. Avoiding bad friends: students learn to say no to peers who offer drugs.
7. Avoiding self-medication: people take drugs only as a doctor or pharmacist directs.

Evaluation

1. What is a drug?
2. Explain the meaning of drug abuse.
3. Name four commonly abused drugs.
4. State five effects of drug abuse on society.
5. State three ways of preventing drug abuse.

Assignment

List six effects of drug abuse on society and say which one you think is most harmful to a community.