Knowledge of drug use and associated factors as perceived by health professionals, farmers, the youth and law enforcement agencies in Ethiopia

Abstract

Abstract: Illicit "drug" use prevents individuals from realizing their full potential and, hence, has become an obstacle to social development. Adequate data about the use of drugs and the factors related with drug use are not available in Ethiopia. Therefore, a quantitative and qualitative study was conducted in different sectors of the Ethiopian population in January 1998. Accordingly, the study indicated that all the respondents have some knowledge about "drugs" that create dependency. Khat, alcohol and cigarette were the most commonly reported drugs that were abused in the country. "Hard drugs" such as cocaine and heroin were not known by most of the respondents except by those health workers working in the Addis Ababa psychiatric hospital and key informants in the MOH. The use of cannabis was shown to be on the increase. In this study though cultural factors account for the use of "drugs" in khat producing areas, other factors such as unemployment, peer pressure, lack of awareness of the danger of drugs, and lack of recreational facilities were the main reasons cited for the use of "drug". [Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 1999;13(2):141-149]