Dear friends, sure we had a great weekend. I did. It is my pleasure to be with you today as we discuss the matter. I will be discussing with you for the next few weeks tips of self-protection from drug abuse.
Let us begin with the definition of drug abuse. In considering the definition of drug abuse, we must first understand that “Drug” and “Abuse” are two different words. The need then arises to define both words separately to get the meaning of the phrase: “Drug abuse”.
“Drug” is defined by Advanced Learners’ Dictionary as follows:
- Substance used for medical purpose either alone or in a mixture substance that changes the state or function of cells, organs, or organisms.
- Substance (often habitual forming) inducing sleep or producing stupor or insensibility e.g. opium, cocaine.
From these definitions, drugs can be divided into two classes:
(i) Drugs that are medicinal in nature and
(ii) Drugs that are stimulating in nature.
Few popular examples under the first category of drugs are panadol, paracetamol, etc. while under the second category is: cigarette, cannabis (marijuana), alcohol, cocaine, heroine etc.
“Abuse” means “to make a bad or wrong use of”. Another word that is used inter-changeably with the word, “abuse” is the word, “addiction”. Addiction means “the instance of being given to, habitually or compulsively”.
Following from the definitions of abuse and addiction it becomes clear that all kinds of drugs can be abused or addicted to.
For the purpose of this discussion however, we are concentrating more on the second category of our definition, which solely dwells on drugs like tobacco, cannabis, cocaine, heroine etc. One sure fact about drug abuse is that it is a progression from one harmful drug to the other until one reaches the climax. For example a young person, who is addicted to marijuana today started most often with cigarette and got addicted to that, then graduates to marijuana when his/her system, outgrows the stimulating effect of cigarette, then to cocaine and ultimately heroine.
In a newspaper report titled: “Heroine affects your life, cocaine destroys your pocket”, a drug addict said: “I have been smoking (cigarette) before starting to take drugs”. “…A recent study of 11,000 middle school students has established a statistical relationship between the use of tobacco, alcohol and cannabis”. Dr. Kariu Ndiolu in an article titled: “Cannabis: A hidden Danger” stated as follows, “a study conducted by the National Centre on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, New York reveals as follows: “among teens …those who drank and smoke cigarettes at least once in a month were thirty (30) times more likely to use marijuana than those who did not. Teenagers in the same group…were seventeen (17) times more likely to abuse other drugs like cocaine, heroine and amphetamines”. Other studies carried out in Italy, further reveals “the progressive nature of how substance abuse experience with one kind of drug sets the user on a search for stronger and quick acting chemicals”. From the facts presented above addiction to other harmful and hard drugs begins with smoking of “cigarettes at least once in a month.”
I think our space is up. Today, we have defined drug abuse and how the habit is formed. We shall take it from here next week. I yearn to hear from you. Your comments are important to me. Please bring them on. Also note that I am available for interaction on this platform. Please Stay SMART and do have your wonderful selves an INSPIRED week.
Taiwo Akinlami is a Barrister & Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, foremost Child Protection Specialist, Consultant to UNICEF, governments, and other leading national and international organisations on Child Protection, Independent Legal and Social Regulatory Expert on Child’s Rights and Responsibilities Issues, Legal Enlightenment & Development Enthusiast, Researcher, Social Empowerment Advocate, Author, Blogger and an accredited facilitator of the British Council School Leadership Program. Website: www.taiwoakinlami.com│Blog: www.taiwoakinlami.wordpress.com│Twitter: @taiwoakinlami
6 thoughts on “#PNN E-Mentoring (Taiwo Akinlami): Personal Safety/Self-Protection from Drug Abuse (1)”
This is so good. Thanks for the lecture
What’s the difference between drug and medicine?
I love this site so much
This is really good
Thank you for your comments…@Ayoola drug and medicine can be used interchangeably as stated in the article…Drug and medicine are used either for preventive or curative measures but both can be abused. For example self medication is a form of drug abuse. There are also hard drugs like marijuna and others…Hard drugs are not meant for children and young people…So is drug abuse of any form.