The impact of drug abuse on Igbo culture and youths in Nigeria: A legal appraisal

Abstract

Drug abuse is a global concern that cuts across many jurisdictions such as Africa, United States of America and United Kingdom. Socially, more than 20  million youths and children have dropped out of school in Nigeria as a result of drug abuse. The impact of drug on Igbo youths and children cannot be  over emphasized because of its negative impact in every sphere of the society. The aim of this study is to analyze the factors that exacerbate drug abuse  in Nigeria and examine the impact of drug abuse on Igbo youths and advocate for the protection of their rights and development of nations. The authors  adopted qualitative and quantitative method of research to arrive at their findings while the approach is both comparative and analytical. The  work x-rayed various legal and institutional frameworks for regulation of drug use in Nigeria. The study showed that despite plethora of legal and  institutional frameworks, that drug abuse still persists. Further, the work revealed that there is a serious nexus between drug abuse and crime, hence  abatement of drug abuse will reduce crimes such as terrorism, kidnapping et cetera. Furthermore, the work discovered that drug abuse has serious  health, social, economic and cultural implications. Drug abuse destroys the economy of nations because it truncates the potentials of youths who ought  to be the drivers of the economy. It is observed that many youths who take drugs equally engage in all manner of crimes. Apart from that, it is notable  that the Igbo tradition discriminates against drug victims thereby restricting them from accessing medication. Accordingly, the work recommends review  and implementation of extant laws such as, Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, National Drug law Enforcement Agency Act, National  Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control Act et cetera. In fact, effective collective collaboration is germane to creating awareness on the  negative impacts of drug abuse.