Determinants of substance abuse among senior secondary students in Mainland local government, Lagos

Background The World Health Organization defines a psychoactive substance as any substance that, when taken by a person, modifies perception, mood, cognition, behavior or motor functions and includes illicit and licit substances, whether or not their use brings about dependence problems in individual, and whether or not people consider them harmful. The use of drugs among adolescents is a global phenomenon eating deep into the fabrics of our society. Students are most vulnerable at this transformative stage in their life. What are the determinants of drug abuse by Students? Methodology This research was a cross sectional descriptive design to identify the factors or determinants of substance abuse among Students in Public Senior Secondary Schools in Mainland Local Government, Lagos. A sample size of two hundred and sixty two was determined and used from randomly selected five out of nine public schools identified. Multi stage sampling (including simple random and systematic sampling) and probability proportional to size methods were usefully employed in scientific selection of 262 samples and subsequent data collection in a total sample frame of 1,938 students. Self administered questionnaire consisting of open and close-ended questions generated using research objectives was used in data collection. Result It identified that there is significant association between educational levels of respondents’ parents and their use of alcohol, cigarette and marijuana at P-values of 0.002, 0.010 and 0.005 respectively, but there is no significant association in the use of cocaine at P-value of 0.111. It also found that there is a significant association between household structure of respondents and their use of alcohol, cigarette and marijuana at P-values of 0.000, 0.000 and 0.033 respectively, but there is no significant association in the use of cocaine at P-value of 0.229. Conclusion Everybody is at risk of drugs. It is hence recommended that Government and Non-governmental agencies, Schools, Religious organizations and Parents should put up a more proactive disposition in learning and teaching of adolescents on the dangers of drug use or abuse as well as pay closer attention to children as they are very vulnerable at the tender stage of development