The recent reports about the high prevalence of drug abuse and addiction among youths in some states in the northern part of Nigeria, calls for concern and immediate actions to be taken by all to stop it.
These epidemic is what has accounted for the increase in crimes and criminality and if nothing is done urgently, it might escalate to something disastrous that would be hard to be stopped.
For the purpose of clarity, let's define what drug abuse and addiction is.
Drug abuse is simply the use of drugs without, below or beyond description. On the other hand, drug addiction is taking drugs without a reason or being addicted to it.
Now that we know what drug abuse and addiction is, what are their causes...
They include:
Peer group pressure.
Lost of family values.
Relegation of parental duties to caregivers.
Lack of parental or societal love.
Lack of vigilance.
Etc.
There are several other reasons too, but let me pause here and say that we all are guilty of contributing to the increase of this trend if we are to be honest with ourselves. If you have not contributed by literarily giving the drugs to these youths, you have contributed by being indifferent to this issue. Even the lack of love or lack of show of pity to the youth could be a contributing factor as they are left with no choice than to take to drugs to feel temporarily forget their sorrows or feel good.
How can we go beyond complaining to taking action...
The actions we can take are these:
Showing practical love to the youth and those who are in it already.
Restoring family values.
Parents should take back their responsibilities by being in charge of their children.
Youth should be guided on who to move with and be discouraged from moving with those with suspicious character.
Hence it is election time, politicians must stop giving our youths drugs to abuse in other to make them do their wicked desires.
Let me conclude by saying that, if we fail to proffer solution to these problems, we may not be able to contain or reverse the resultant effects.
I urge us all to join hands together irrespective of our culture, tribe, political differences and religious leanings to combat these menace called drug abuse and addiction.
Thank you for your time.