We are pleased to announce that Bakare Zaynab Oluwaseyi of Starways College, Ajah Lagos, has been selected by an independent panel of judges as the 1st position of the Drug Addiction Essay Competition for Nigerian Secondary Schools. 

 

The epidemic of drug addiction in Nigeria has recently come to light. Those who are most vulnerable include young people. Therefore, to get them to think critically about the problems of drug use and abuse and partake in developing solutions to the problem we launched the Drug Addiction Essay Competition in November 2018.  

 

Read Miss Bakare Zaynab Oluwaseyi's essay to find out more about her entry. 

 

 

A drug is a substance that causes temporary physiological changes to the body. It is used to provide treatment or nutritional supports. It can be inhaled, injected, smoked or absorbed via a patch on the skin or tongue. Drug addiction, on the other hand, is a persistent disorder characterised by habitual drug seeking. People get addicted to different kinds of drugs such as cocaine, heroin, marijuana, codeine, morphine and other related drugs. Addiction begins when the brain experiences pleasure from particular drug intake. Individuals struggling with drug addiction often find it difficult to conduct daily activities without it. This if not attended to, frequently becomes chronic and fatal. 

 

Drug addiction is a big problem in my community. It has deepened and almost overtaken a significant proportion of our community as teenagers see it as a way of life. The future seems blurred looking at how such problem is destroying our society. It has prevented the actualisation of dreams and aspirations of the younger generation and affected their overall health. The effects of drug addiction could be medically, socially and economically related. It causes health challenges such as damage to the immune system thereby increasing the risk of illness and infection, damage to the heart and abdominal organs with loss of weight. 

 

Furthermore, vital organs such as; liver and kidney are ruined resulting from increased strain on these organs which put the person at risk of organ damage or failure. The brain is known as the centre spot of drug addiction. Addictions may cause stroke, mental confusion and brain damage with problems of memory loss, attention and decision making, which makes daily living more difficult for the victim. Socially, drug addiction has contributed largely to school drop-out, rape and crimes. Economically, the government spends more on the eradication of drug addiction instead of improving education and social amenities. 

 

Individuals fall victim of addiction as a result of peer pressure and inadequate or lack of information. Hence, awareness is an essential tool used in preventing it because it sensitises and educates people on its potential dangers. Awareness provides preventive measures and the consequences of addiction may be averted. Prevention they say is better than a cure. With support, I feel that I can contribute my part in curbing the menace of addiction by organising an awareness program that will involve educative drama, inspirational songs and poems. More so I will distribute items that are often used such as hand- bands, notebooks, pens and mugs with catchy slogans that will raise awareness of drug addiction. This will significantly prevent and save victims from the danger of addiction.

 

What will the future lie for us if the younger generation and future leaders are gradually being destroyed with this act? Drug addiction is a major issue that needs urgent attention. We need to preserve our future; hence the fight against drug addiction begins with you and me.
 

An outreach award ceremony was organised to celebrate Bakare Zaynab Oluwaseyi at Starways College in Lagos. 

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