CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1Â Â Â Â Â BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
A drug is defined as any natural or artificial substance, other than food, that modifies the structure or function of a living organism due to its chemical or physical nature (Maline, 2007). In pharmacology, it is described as a chemical substance used in the treatment, cure, prevention, or diagnosis of disease, or used to improve physical or mental well-being in some other way. Chemical chemicals that change the nervous system’s function, affecting perception, emotion, or awareness, are known as psychoactive drugs (Dorwick, 2006). Recreational drugs are those that are taken for enjoyment rather than for medical objectives (Farhadinasab, 2008). These drugs include alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine, as well as opiates and amphetamines. Drugs are also utilized as food supplements, such as vitamin supplements, and we must profit from them in terms of bad health, even if they are recommended by physicians (Martin, 2007). On the contrary, if medications are misused, they may be hazardous and even deadly. Tramadol is an opiate pain reliever that is used to treat moderate to severe pain. The beginning of pain relief is generally within an hour when taken as an immediate-release oral formulation. Tramadol is a powerful painkiller that reduces pain by acting on the nerve system and brain (Elizabeth, 2008). Tramadol comes in a variety of forms, strengths, and brands. Some types and brands operate fast to relieve pain, while others gradually release the tramadol they contain over many hours to give consistent and consistent pain relief. These are known as “modified-release” products, and they frequently carry the letters ‘XL,’ ‘SR,’ or ’24hr’ in front of the brand name (Ksir, 2002). Aside from its pain-relieving properties, tramadol has been found to produce a euphoric high when used in excessive doses. When opiates like tramadol are taken with alcohol, the alcohol’s effects are amplified. People sometimes confuse substance abuse with drug misuse; however, drug abuse relates to medicine prescribed by a doctor, whereas substance abuse refers to compounds other than drugs, such as gasoline and glue (Bashirian, 2009). If a substance is intentionally used to create physiological or psychological effects for a purpose other than therapeutic purposes, it is called abused. According to Mahjoub (2008), substance misuse typically begins in adolescence with the use of tobacco and alcohol. Tramadol misuse among students, on the other hand, might be the consequence of interactions across peer groups, as well as the substance’s availability and nature. Cultural influences, parental conduct, and legislation and policies that restrict drug availability are some of the environmental variables that lead to drug misuse. Drug misuse has a significant negative influence (Krir, 2006). Drugs, according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDCP), damage lives and communities, hinder sustainable human development, and produce criminality. Drug addiction has an impact on all sections of society in all nations, but especially on the freedom and development of young people, the world’s most important asset (Hassan, 2009). Drugs also pose a serious danger to human health, state independence, democracy, national stability, the structure of all societies, and the dignity and hope of millions of individuals and their families. Tramadol and other drug usage, according to Ray (2002), is a role in many accidents, injuries, vandalism, and criminality on college campuses, and is often a crucial issue when students have difficulty with their academics. Ironically, even college students who should avoid tramadol and other drugs experience the consequences of their classmates’ high-risk activities, such as confrontations or having to care for their drug-induced and inebriated colleagues (Mahjoub, 2008). According to the World Health Organization (WHO), by 2020, mental and drug use disorders will outnumber all physical diseases as the leading cause of disability globally (WHO, 2008). According to WHO (2013), at least 15.3 million people have drug use disorders, and drug usage is linked to serious health and social issues. According to NACADA (2012), there are a number of dangers linked with tramadol misuse, including dependent young people, higher health-care demands among youth who abuse alcohol and narcotics, and crimes caused by idleness and the youth’s drinking habits. Several psychological and environmental variables interact to worsen and prolong drug and substance misuse among Akure South LGA secondary school students. According to Tafesh (2013), the power of a society’s youth is undeniable; they serve as a first line of defense against any breakdown of the social fabric by upholding values and morality, as well as religion and tradition (Laura, 2012). From this perspective, if drug and substance abuse becomes widespread among community members, particularly among young people, the community faces disaster. Substance abuse and addictive behavior are ubiquitous phenomena that were recognized as a serious public health concern in the twentieth century (Rassool, 1998). Living with psychoactive substances appears to have been a part of human existence from ancient times, according to historical data (Gossop, 1993). The urge to enter a state of altered consciousness appears to be a natural aspect of the human condition. Unfortunately, the health and societal consequences of abusing these psychoactive drugs reflect alarming rates of illness and mortality (Gafor, 1997). The squealer of the physical, social, psychological, and economic devastation caused by psychoactive drug addiction affects not just the individual user but also the family. Following Israel’s illegal attack in Gaza in December 2008, a UN poll of Gaza people reported an increase in risk-taking behavior, including a large increase in drug addiction cases (Hammami, 2009). Tramadol, a centrally acting analgesic with qualities comparable to codeine and morphine that was initially created in Germany in the 1970s and released in the 1990s as a commonly prescribed pain reliever, is one medicine connected with this trend (Han,1997). Tramadol is quite simple to purchase in Akure, either through fake prescriptions from pharmacies or on the black market, despite the fact that it is banned without a prescription in some areas. Prior to the 2008 offensive, news sources stated that up to 30% of males aged 14 to 30 had been taking Tramadol on a regular basis, with 15,000 displaying indications of addiction(O’Loughlin, 2008),idly or significant others, and the whole community.
