Published Article

In this paper, the prevalence of drug abuse among adolescents is discussed. Drug is a substance other than food, which when taken by a living organism may modify the functions of that organism, one of which is cocaine. Drug abuse, which is a serious public health problem all over the world, is the taking of drug to such a degree as to greatly increase the hazard or impair the ability of the individual to adequately function or cope with his circumstances. Adolescents indulge in it. Adolescence is the transitional phase of growth and development between childhood and adulthood that is between 10 to 24 years of age. The abuse of drugs disposes them to deviant behaviours like violence and cultism. Some reasons for the indulgent being peer pressure and lack of family support. Most adolescents take drugs without knowledge of the dangers of health effects and implications of drug abuse. About 207,000 drug related mortality around the world was reported in 2014. After the introduction, this paper is discussed under the following subheadings; commonly abused drugs, health implications and effects of drug abuse, reasons for drug use/abuse, warning signs of adolescents’ drug use/abuse, management of drug abuse, and conclusion. It is recommended among others that drug education should form part of the school curriculum.