Evaluation of patterns of drug abuse among secondary school students, Zaria local government area of Kaduna State, Nigeria

The study was an evaluation of patterns of drugs abuse among secondary school students, Zaria Local Government Area of Kaduna state, Nigeria. The survey research design was adopted. A structured questionnaire was utilized to gather the data that was used for the study. The population of the study was estimated to be over three thousand senior secondary school III students from which a total of 530 volunteers served as the sample size. To establish the reliability of the instrument, 20 SS III students were served with the instruments which were not used in the main study. The results collected from this was analyzed using the split-half technique and a reliability index of .79 was obtained which was considered alright for the study. Percentages and frequencies were used to answer the research questions while inferential chi-square statistic was utilized in verifying the hypotheses at .05 level of significance. It was discovered among others that 200 (38.16%) respondents use one type of drug, use alcohol before any drug and swallow the drug and 190 (36.26%) combined both inhalation and injection and show Tabacco 300 (57.25%), Kola nuts 230 (43.89%) and alcohol 180 (34.35%) responses were the drugs always used by the respondents. The chi-square result verifying the frequency of patterns of drug abuse according to gender indicated that the calculated chi-square value for male X= 8.32 greater than the critical chi-square value of 7.815 at .05 level of significance and 3 degree of freedom; implyi9ng that a significant difference existed base on gender base on these and other results, it was recommended among others that pattern are advised to ensure proper upbringing of children through monitoring their activities and advising children as well as youth on the choice of friends and associates.