Causes, Consequences and Control of Methamphetamine Abuse among Youths in Nigeria

Abstract

People abuse several types of drugs globally. Nigeria as a country is not exempted from the malaise. People abuse drugs for several reasons. The abuse of methamphetamine in the country has become a source of concern to all and sundry in the state. The disturbing aspect of methamphetamine abuse is that abusers do not easily discontinue from the habit due to the attendant withdrawal effects. This has severe implications for the individual abuser, the family, the local community of the abuser, the state and the country. Several efforts were also made to curtail the abuse of the drug in the country. Some of these efforts involved clampdown by agencies saddled with the responsibility of curbing the production, distribution and abuse of the drug. Consequently, this paper examined the causes, consequences and control of methamphetamine abuse among youths in Nigeria. This is a theoretical paper that employed the review of secondary data from published textbooks, journal articles and other useful academic sources. Robert K Merton strain theory formed the theoretical anchorage for the paper. It was shown in the paper that peer pressure, low self-esteem, anxiety, loneliness or depression and unemployment were among the factors influencing the abuse of methamphetamine in the country. It was also shown that some of the consequences of the use and abuse of the drug include a variety of cardiovascular problems such as rapid heart rate, irregular heartbeat and increased blood pressure, hyperthermia and convulsion which can lead to death if not treated immediately The paper recommended that the family, community based organizations and the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) should work together to minimize the abuse of the drug in the country.