Kehinde Adeleye
The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Odiolowo Ojuwoye Chapter youth gathered for their 4th breakfast session focusing on combatting drug abuse with the theme “Menace of Substance Abuse.”
The event took place at Olateju/Ogunmokun Junction, under the new Ogunmokun/Kayode flyover bridge Mushin.
Attendees included religious and community leaders, secondary school students, youth from various backgrounds, and NDLEA staff.
The Coordinator highlighted the alarming increase in substance abuse among youths, emphasizing the need for public awareness on the issue. Officials from NDLEA also shared insights on tackling the problem.
They examine the motivations behind why certain individuals resort to drug use or substance abuse, which is ultimately misguided and based on false beliefs on the part of the abusers.
“Some people claim that they use drugs to make them increase their performance either in reading or carrying out a task which is often time not true because when it does make you high by stressing your brain cell, before you know it, your brain cell will start to degenerate and leads to so many illness and damage to the body”, Mrs. Amaechi Stella said.
She encourages parents to closely observe their children for behaviors such as isolation, wearing dark glasses frequently, or being defiant, which could be signs of drug abuse.
If these signs are present, parents should not hesitate to speak up and seek help for their child before the situation worsens.
It was emphasized to young people that even seemingly harmless actions like taking paracetamol when not needed or excessively can be considered as a form of substance abuse.
During a Q&A session, a teacher asked if self-isolation could be a sign of drug abuse, as drug users often withdraw from others.
The response highlighted that initial drug use often involves isolating oneself to hide the effects until they have calmed down.
Parents and teachers should monitor whether this isolation is positive, such as engaging in productive activities, or negative, indicating self-destructive behavior.
It was agreed that substance abuse stems from a lack of positive engagement, leading individuals to experiment out of curiosity and potentially become addicted. Counseling and medication are often necessary for recovery.
To promote positive engagement among youth, a new sewing machine was given to a member of NYCN Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye LCDA. Appreciation was expressed to the Chairman of the LCDA for supporting the event.
