Abstract

Background: Drug has been abuse for hundreds of year all over the world. Since drugs have been used, there are always those that abuse them which lead to full blown addictions and mental and physical health implication.

Method: The study was conducted using a quantitative cross-sectional description study design was used. Data was collected from 50 respondents from the Molyko community. A stratified sampling technique was used. Questionnaire was the principal instrument used for the collection. This instrument consisted more of open and close ended question. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistic with the aim of frequency and figure.

Significance of the study: This study will go a long way to help the youths Molyko community because drug abuse remain a measure problem that is prevalence and wide spread worldwide associated with morbidity and mortality rate WHO 2018

The study will also help them to know the danger after answering the questionnaire.

Lastly, the study will also help the youths to modify their way of consuming drug.

Results: Out of 50 respondents, 40% had adequate knowledge irrespective to objective one which is knowledge on drug abuse and objective two, a greater number of the participants

(78%) had adequate knowledge on the effects of drug abuse to the body and to the society at large.

Conclusion: From the result it reveals that most of the youths (64%)of the participants in the Molyko community had adequate knowledge on the drug abuse irrespective of objective one. Irrespective of objective two, a greater number of the participants (78%)  had adequate knowledge on the effects of drug abuse to the body and to the society at large.

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.0 Introduction

This chapter of the study will review all the background study, problem statement general and specific objectives, research question, significant of study, justification scope of study and operational definition of terms

1.1 Background of the study.

Drug abuse is the maladaptive pattern of use of a drug, alcohol, or other chemical agent that may lead to social, occupational, psychological, or physical problems. (Farlex., 2012). The discovery of fermentation and farming since 6000BC is when people started to use drugs. The first drug to be abused was homemade alcohol wine and the level could read up to 14-16%. It was used in religious rites and children were given too in their holy communion.

Other drugs were used for legitimate purposes, medical or scientific purposes (Mbatia., 2016) Drug abuse started to be high through various experimentation and people diverted the use of drugs and be used for money generating activities (Mbatia., 2016). The Sumerian people of Asia minor used joy plant which is believed to be opium poppy in 500BC, China used ephedrine inhalant 3000BC. Cannabis was introduced in India in 2000BC and Americans were used to chew coca leaves thus by the end of sixteenth century drugs like cocaine, tobacco, cannabis, hallucinogen and narcotics were used globally even in Africa whereby Egypt and Tanganyika were both noted (Godwin., 2014).

Conceptually, Drug abuse is the harmful use of psychotic substance including alcoholic and illicit drugs (W H O 2018). The reasons for the abuse of drugs by (Vevik B., 2011) may vary from person to person and more than one reason could be responsible for it. It is noted that youths often get involved in abusing drugs like: depressants, stimulants, high class analgesics like tramadol and opioids, shisha which have a lot of harms on the mental and physical and health of the youths (Aka and Akunyili., 2013)

Theoretically, the learning and interaction theories was used. Observational learning can be highly adaptive by others, by learning through model that uses drugs. (John Lock 2011). The interaction theory centers around the assumption that through interaction with peers and social learning is when the child learns by his own will on how to use drugs and other anti-social behavior which is in the surrounding environment where the child lives, (Possi., 2016) mentioned that the learning theory “holds that opportunities for a person to use drugs are generated by his association with the users, thus a person finds support and various reinforcing agents from his peers and becomes a member in the group (Mbatia., 2016).

Globally, over 47000 youths die as a result of an international drug overdose in 2014. (National Strategy household survey 2013) stated that around 2.9million people in Australia where estimated to most have used illicit drugs in the previous month and 8million were estimated to have also used this drug in their life time in Australia (institution of health and welfare 2014).

According to (W. H. O mental health plan 2013), youths are among the most vulnerable group in the society with an increased risk of mental problem. More than 5% of mental disorders are being developed by youths by the age of 21. (Miniterio de Salud de Chile 2013).

The prevalence of drug use among youths indicated 76.4% in alcohol and 31.1% in marijuana, and prevalence for other illicit drugs are both used by male and female (Vellos et al., 2014).  In Africa, youths especially male are more vulnerable to drug abuse and it has become the target market for illicit drug industries. 56% of the population age 21 to 35years which constitutes secondary and some university students reported 82% of using drugs (United Nation 2013).

Besides the threat of increasing consumption of illicit drugs among youths and some people, South Africa is becoming the major transshipment point in the international drug trade as well as a major producer (Gilbert 2013). In Cameroon it has been suggested that youths from 18 to 35 years had consistent that border seizure of smuggle drugs. Thousands of youths in Cameroon are increasingly dependent of the drug abuse and some become seriously addicted (National Policy 2014). The rate of drug abuse in recent years is so rampant that being on drug or high take has cause so many problems which they have ended in the hospital for diseases, accident and even death.

According to the study which was conducted in Kinondoni Secondary School students of form II and III revealed that majority of both male and female students were using drug and common drug abused by those students are cigarette, marijuana and alcohol and the reasons for using those mentioned drugs is availability and cheapness of drugs. (Modeme, 2016).

Also research which has been carried out in 2008 by Sudef in Dares Salaam, Kinondoni District is leading, in terms of having teenagers suffering from drug addiction, which amount to three thousand five hundred and fifty, Ilala two thousand one hundred and twelve and in Temeke nine hundred and twenty one. These teenagers are jobless and rejected by their families and society at large. They trained them to be security guards (Nipashe 2012).

Also according to the study which has been carried out at Zanzibar earmarked that children from age 18 – 25 years uses cigarette, alcohol and sniffing cannabis and the reason for first use is acceptance curiosity enjoyment, health stress relief, hunger fatigue, religious customs and sex boosting. (Mdeme quoted police antidrug unit 2012). This study sought to look at children abusing drugs and come out with the causes, effects and remedial measures which will assist

1.2 Statement of problem

Self-medication and abuse is becoming increasingly popular around the world. According to studies, the global prevalence of self-medication ranges from 11.2 to 93.7%, depending on the target population and country (Balbuena et al., 2019).

Recently, an increase has been observed in the use of pharmaceutical drugs by the general population (Coutinho et al., 2017). However, this increase has not been associated with an improvement in health. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 50% of the drugs consumed worldwide are prescribed or dispensed inappropriately and almost 50% of patients use these drugs incorrectly, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality (Bhansali et al., 2016).

Also it has been observed that youths and children below 15years in the Molyko neighborhood indulge in consuming some illegal drugs like marijuana, tramadol, cannabis and abusing alcohol which has been the major cause of increase crime rates in this community as they will often indulge in stealing and other crimes to either satisfy their gratification or to get money to buy the drugs they consume.

Again most of the researcher’s class mates from secondary school are now school drop outs, some have been trapped home due to unwanted pregnancies and others have become drug addicts all due to drug abuse. Lately I also came across one of my friend in the quarter who now is a psychiatric patient because of marijuana. All these couple together, prompted the researcher to carry out a research on “Assessing youths knowledge on the causes and effects of drug abuse in the Molyko community Buea South West Region Cameroon.

1.3 Objective

1.4 General objectives

Assessing youths’ knowledge (age 18 – 35 years) on the causes and effects of drugs abuse in the Molyko community Buea South West Region Cameroon.

 1.4.1 Specific Objectives

1. To explore youths’ knowledge (age 18 – 35 years) on the causes of drug abuse in Molyko community Buea.
2. To assess youth’s knowledge (age 18 – 35 years) on the effects of drug abuse in Molyko community Buea.

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