By: Abdulwahab Abdulmalik
Hard drugs and alcohol have been the major reason for high mortality among young people. It is believed, with the help of research, that about 320 people die per hour in the world. Alcohol continues to be the most absorbed and misused psychoactive substance among young adults, despite the negative repercussions it has on health and social issues linked to alcohol consumption. The most commonly used psychoactive substance that has an impact on public health is alcohol and hard drugs.
Globally, 60 ailments, including communicable diseases are caused by this uncurbed liquor. Alcohol and Hard Drugs are intoxicants that can cause brain malfunction. In 2016, the Global Burden of Disease Study stated that Alcohol and Hard Drugs are the seventh risk factor for disability among persons between the ages of 15 to 49.
Research indicates that 2.8 million deaths were reported in a single year, equivalent to 380 deaths every hour. A case involving this issue was reported in 2018 at Federal Government College, Ilorin. The school wanted to host a marathon that was open to all students. Three friends used hard drugs to support the long-distance run but ultimately ended up in the school clinic, where one student passed away and the other two were receiving treatment. An incident happened in Kwara state’s Government Day Secondary School in Aiyetoro in the same year (2018). A Yoruba term for drunkenness known as “gems” causes death in students and lasts for the duration of the person who embalmed it.
In most African countries , alcohol and hard drugs have more consumption as they are parts of their major source of income . Alcohol has become too naive to teenagers and an antidote to cure depression, hard times, and the likes. Making the generations to come a weaker and lazy one.
Moreover, the African government didn’t show a bad face to these illicit products taking the lives of thousands a day, because many African countries are surviving on top of the generated funds, they also neglect its consequences to health and social effects.
In conclusion, due to the refusal by many state governments to make it illegal, these two harmful substances. The big Godfather of many nations has chosen to make a fortune from these two deadly products, allowing for profitable transactions. If the government is unable to format these commodities, it may still regulate its usage by keeping an eye on how it is purchased and enacting rigorous laws governing its manufacture and use.