The prevalence of some psychoactive substances use among secondary school adolescents in Bosso Local Government Area, Nigeria

Abstract

The prevalence of some psychoactive substances use was investigated among secondary school adolescents in Bosso Local Government Area, Niger State, Nigeria by descriptive cross-sectional survey design. Data from self-administered Psychoactive Substance Abuse Questionnaire (PSAQ) were analysed, using appropriate statistics. Amongst one thousand seven hundred and nineteen (1719) valid (of the one thousand eight hundred and twenty, 1820) respondents responses, their use for coffee (1028 or 59.8%) and kola nuts (957 or 55.7%) were highly accepted while that for petrol (568 or 33.0%) was moderately accepted. Their substance use response for cigarette (462 or 26.9%) followed by marijuana (449 or 26.1%), codeine/cough syrup (402 or 23.4%), alcohol (395 or 23.0%), caffeine (251 or 14.6%), paints (227 or 13.2%), sleeping pills (217 or 12.6%), cannabis (196 or 11.4), amphetamine (190 or 11.1%) and gasoline (188 or 10.9%) was lowly accepted. Their least self-reported substance use for opium (1 or 0.1%) followed by valium (29 or 1.7%), Lysergic acid diethylamide, LSD, or solution (59 or 3.4%), glue (71 or 4.1%) and cocaine (89 or 5.2%) were not accepted. The result established the prevalent use of these common substances, with coffee, kola nuts and petrol seemingly serving as the gateway substances, among the studied adolescents. This study may have significant public health implications, warranting biochemical indicators assessment of the substances-induced toxicity in these adolescents to provide further basis for prevention and policy formulation programs. Regular counseling and enlightenment of the adolescents on the consequences of substance use are required, hence recommended.