Drug use, consequences and perceived accessibility in three Nigerian universities

Abstract

Background: Use of alcohol and other psychoactive substances constitutes major public health concern, especially among adolescents and young adults. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence and perceived accessibility of psychoactive substances. Method: This cross sectional study was conducted in three Nigerian universities with the use of United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) student model questionnaire. Results: Five hundred and forty-nine students participated. Majority of them were females, 289 (55.2%); Christians, 382 (73.0%); of Yoruba ethnic group, 375 (79.6%), and single, 512 (94.8%). Their mean age was 20.11 years (sd = 2.36). Stimulants other than the Amphetamine-types had the highest lifetime prevalence rate (53.4%), followed by Alcohol (35.8%), tranquilizers (12%), opiates other than Heroin (11.9%) and cigarettes (11.3%). Among the illicit drugs, marijuana had the highest prevalence (7.2%). Lifetime prevalence rates of cocaine and heroin use were both 2.1%. The average age at first use of any of the substances was between 10 and 17 years. The commonest consequences of alcohol use were engaged in sex regretted the next day (2.5%) and engaged in sex without using condom (2.1%); while the commonest consequences of drug use were damages to objects or clothing (1.1%), problems in relationship with parents (1.0%) and friends (1.0%). Stimulants other than amphetamine-types, solvents, opiates other than heroin, tranquilizers and cannabis were perceived as easy to get by 57.3%, 38.7%, 32.8%, 29.4% and 22.7% of the respondents respectively. For all the substances except Amphetamine-type stimulants, ecstasy and crack, lifetime drug use was significantly associated with perceived easy accessibility to the respective substances. Conclusions and Recommendations: Drug use among the students was associated with relationship problems and unsafe sex. It is also associated with perceived accessibility of the drugs. Attention needs to be focused on safe sex practices among the students in addition to drug use prevention interventions.

Drug use Among Undergraduates in Maiduguri, Northeast Nigeria

“…Non-inclusion of tobacco and alcohol among the drugs surveyed may be responsible for this result. Furthermore, our study revealed alcohol as the second most common drug used by students consistent with the result of a previous Nigerian study (10). In contrast, it ranked first in an Ethiopian study (19), and third in a Sudanese study (16).…”

“…Therefore, effective measures are required to tackle the menace of the use of these two drugs in Nigerian schools in order to enhance academic performance. Among the illicit drugs, cannabis had the highest past 12-month prevalence congruent with the finding of a previous university and population based-studies, respectively (10,16,21). Cannabis has continued to feature in Nigeria and some other countries as the most commonly used illicit drug (22).…”

“…The review of the literature showed vast published studies on drug use among students of higher institutions of learning in Nigeria (9)(10)(11). However, these studies were performed in other geopolitical zones of the country.…”

Substance use among university students and affecting factors in Marrakech region, Morocco: a cross-sectional Study

“…Substance use initiation age was also signi cant in this current study where out of 3 students, 2 had used a substance before age of 18 years, which is consistent with other studies [2], [22]. The development of cognitive, emotional, and social abilities in children and adolescents get affected by substance use may compromise later functioning in important adult domains such as marriage, parenting, and gainful employment [22].…”

“…The prevalence of life time cocaine use among student was 5,7%, this rate remain higher than the ndings of university students in Nigeria where it was 2,1% [22], and also among US students where it was 4,8% [5].…”