Health experts say drug abuse can have profound and far-reaching effects on families and domestic lifestyles.
The experts, who spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos, also explained what could constitute drug abuse.
They, however, believed that any of the identified causes often required a multi-faceted approach, which included therapy, support groups, and sometimes professional intervention to break the cycle of abuse, to restore healthy family dynamics.
Dr Adeola Kareem -Shapara, Obstetrics/Gynaecologist, Mother and Child Center, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos State, explained that, “any substance that changes effect in your body is drug abuse.”
Kareem -Shapara defined drug abuse or misuse as the consumption of substance not prescribed by a certified medical personnel.
She further explained that even taking drugs in larger dose more than the prescribed dosages could be said to be abuse or misuse of medicine.
According to the gynaecologist, other forms of misuse of drugs include use of medicine in a different way other than the prescribed or use of medicine for another purpose among others.
She said that the commonly abused substances were alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, cocaine, prescription drugs, inhalant, and solvent.
Kareem -Shapara noted that when abused, the drugs would have effects on the person abusing it, family and society at large.
According to her, the effects on the person impact nearly every part of the body from heart to bowels, and can lead to abnormal heart rates and attack, bones not growing properly as well as damaged kidney and liver.
She added that the effects on the family could be in the area of disregarding family needs.
Kareem -Shapara, however, said drug abuse could be prevented in young people through prevention programme, involving families, schools, communities and the media.
However, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted Mr Abubakar Liman, the Lagos state Commander of NDLEA, as saying that there were three stages of drug abuse — experimentation, occasional use and regular use.
Lima, who was represented by Mr Innocent Adinna, an Assistant Commander in NDLEA, at a drug abuse related event in Lagos, said that some of the causes of drug abuse included peer pressure, frustration, broken homes, curiosity and lack of parental support or guidance, among others.
He said that the “effects are harmful to the society, weakens immune system, among other negative impacts on the users”.
According to him, there are prevention strategies that the NDLEA has put in place such as intervention, sensitisation and enlightenment.
On her part, Miss Oluwatoyin Abegunde, a Motivational Speaker, noted that there was no particular reason people abused drugs.
Abegunde is the Chief Executive Officer of Cute Kids Haven Foundation (CKHF), a Non Governmental Organisation.
She explained that though majority of people, who used drugs often times were either not manifest or problematic users, she, however, noted that “those who become dependent on it, experience very negative impacts, first to the individual, family and society at large.”
Abegunde said that consequences of drug abuse included but were not limited to impaired judgement and memory, damage to immune system and premature death.
She said that prevention methods could be awareness creation, advocacy, sensitisation, having good role models, enabling environment and reporting drug peddlers to the appropriate authorities.
“Drug abuse is a global problem, quite challenging but with our collective determination to fight and not give up, we shall conquer this war.
“It may not be possible to eliminate drug use in our society but with collective efforts, multimedia approach and total commitment by all, the menace will be drastically reduced in the society ” she said.(NAN)
