Analysis of the Use, Dependence and Source of Knowledge of Stimulants among Nigerian University Undergraduates

Abstract

This study surveyed undergraduates' use, dependence and source of knowledge of stimulants at the University of Benin. The stratified random sampling technique was used to select eight hundred (800) students for the study. The findings revealed that the Nigerian undergraduates surveyed rarely use or depend on stimulants. Though, a small segment of the students revealed that they have been taking cola nuts and caffeine for a long time, majority of the students report that they hardly sustained the length of use of stimulants. Also, majority of the sampled undergraduates (64.4%) reported that it was from their peers they derived their source of knowledge of stimulants. Furthermore, the study also revealed that there was no significant difference between male and female university undergraduates in their knowledge of the use of stimulants (t= 1.82, df= 792, p< .05). Also, the study revealed no significant difference between male and female university under graduates on their knowledge of the use of Amphetamine, Cocaine, Cola nuts and Tobacco. However, there was a significant difference between male and female university undergraduates on the knowledge of the use of caffeine (t= 2.46, df= 794, p< .05). The findings also revealed that there was a significant difference in the knowledge of use of stimulants among undergraduate students of different faculties (F= (3/ 793) = 12.69, p< .05). Based on the findings of this study, intervention strategies that include the use of aggressive and persuasive counselling on the students as a means to reducing the use and consumption of stimulants were advocated.