USE OF ILLICIT DRUGS

Most times I wonder why people use illicit drugs, but if you ask those who use these drugs, they always have one thing or the other to say about its advantages, generally drugs are used for the benefit of the people, but only an individual can determine where the use of drugs end, and when such individual begins to abuse the drugs. According to the medical encyclopedia, it defines drug abuse as the use of illicit drugs or the abuse of prescription or over the counter drugs for purposes other than those for which they are indicated or in the manner or in quantities other than directed. Examples of illicit drugs are, marijuana, heroin, cocaine, ketamine, anabolic steroids, etc.

But why do people use these drugs, there are different excuses people give for taking these drugs, some just want to try it, like some people would say, the first cigarette or alcohol or drugs a person takes was not bought by him, some just want to know what the feeling is like, and as they say, the rest is history, from there they get addicted.

Some use drugs because they hate themselves or their lives, some people, when they are in a difficult situation, they start using drugs so that they won’t feel the pressure around them. Some would say they get their inspiration for singing from these drugs.

Some use drugs to make them feel cool among friends, this is one of the major reasons people use drugs, they just want to feel ‘among’, they don’t want to be amidst a group of people and they are the only ones not doing what others are doing. Also, people use drugs to ease tension or the pain that they are going through,

Obviously, they are good reasons for the people who use them,but is the harmful effect of drugs not far beyond its benefits? Let’s take these so called advantages one after the other. Firstly, drug isn’t something you use to reduce pain or tension, research has made us discover that drugs such as crack cocaine and many others, increases level of the neurotransmitter dopamine which is associated with pleasure, meanwhile the pleasant result wears off easily causing them to feel more depressed than they already were.

Also, for those who use drugs before they can sing, this is strange because singing should be a talent, it’s something that should come naturally, using drug before you can write a song simply means you are just forcing yourself to compose, it’s better to think of something sensible on your own, this is one of the reasons why most singers just sing nonsense and spice it up with beats. They effect of drug won’t bring out anything that would benefit the soul definitely.  

This is very common among Nigerians, most of all the bad things that happens in Nigeria are imitation from the whites, meanwhile, we fail to imitate the right things, instead we are very good at imitating the wrong things, this also happens among friends, as we all know that evil communication corrupt good manners, some people are dead now because of what they imitated from friends, what others do should not influence what you do, you don’t know why your friend is using drug or smoking, you don’t know if he has issues and he thinks using drug is the best solution, but because you don’t want to be left out in the fun, you joined him, when you are perfectly alright, from there you create a problem for yourself.

The risk associated with these drugs are numerous, use of these drugs can cause your blood to constrict, increasing your blood pressure and temperature, coughing, bleeding, the use these drugs can cause shortness of breath, to mention a few, psychologically it causes aggressiveness, the risk of sudden death is greater when combined with alcohol.

When people take these drugs at a tender age, they might not feel the effect, these drugs have long term effect which would be made manifest in the future, the long term effects of cocaine and other illicit drugs is that, it stimulates your brain and changes the way it works, teaching you to repeat the same behaviour i.e the use of such drugs, this is why these drugs are addictive, same with cigarette and alcohol, they stimulates the brain, what most people call ‘high’, sure you would feel high, but psychologically, the way and manner you think and act changes gradually, higher dosage of these drugs causes anxiety and irritability, it can lead to paranoid psychosis, this is the reason some people are now on the street picking up dirt, they have gone crazy because they wanted to feel cool among friends, the powerful thing about it , is that, even after being insane, they still go to any length to buy these drugs, they are so addicted that, ‘only death can do them part’, the use of these drugs can make you manic, and depressed, most of the people who commit suicide did it because they used drugs, why not think about it, if these drugs makes you totally depressed in the long run, then why do I need it to reduce depression. Same thing with alcohol, when you are very much drunk, you won’t remember your pains or anxiety, but after the effect of alcohol fades, WHAT NEXT?? Your problems are still there, still fresh as it was, think about it, while you were drunk, what if you had an accident, besides, what if you do something that would compound the problem. The pleasant effect of these things are just for a few moment, why not look for a lasting solution to your problems, instead of shying away from it, because your problems are still around, anyways. Sure, when you use these drugs, you do weird things you wouldn’t have done on a normal day, why not think of how to overcome the challenge, instead of using drugs to help you do what you don’t have the guts to do, you would be proud of doing things naturally on your own, than those things you did while you were drunk or high, the fact is YOU WEREN’T THE ONE DOING THEM.

People argue that marijuana and the other kinds of drugs, is not as addictive as the harder drugs, and it has benefits, but research has shown us that, it may have more harmful physical, mental, and psycho motor effects, i.e, it can be addictive, marijuana causes impaired learning memory, heroin causes slowed breathing, anabolic steroids causes blood clothing and cholesterol changes, and lots more, cigarette and even coffee can all be used to harmful excess. This is because coffee would make you stay awake for very long hours than normal, depriving you of your sleep, at the long run it leads to headache, and there are instances whereby you take coffee to stay awake to read for an exam, and when you get to the exam hall, you can’t remember anything, including what you read before taking the coffee.

Most people justify what they are doing by saying, at least I just take two bottles per day, just a packet of cigarette, but this is where it all started, those that are roaming the street right now never knew they would become mad, or would have cancer or heart disease, they probably stared from a bottle, to two, and it goes on and on, they also puffed cigarette once a week, if you keep justifying yourself that you take it moderately, you wouldn’t know when you become addicted, the effect is a gradual process, and before you know it, it’s like food you can’t live without, also, when you take these drugs normally, and a time comes when you have problem, what comes to your mind is to buy alcohol, or cigarette, or drugs, because you know its effect, that it would ease the pressure on you, from there, you just want to take as many as possible, just for the problem to disappear that very moment, these is when you start getting addicted, when you think it’s the only way out to any problem or stress you are facing, I would like to let you know that, the easiest and most peaceful way to solve a problem is through natural means, see a psychologist, pray, face the problem with courage, believe in yourself, don’t follow the crowd, it might take time but it definitely worth it, the friend you are imitating, you don’t know how strong his immunity is, and no matter how strong it is, his life span is being reduced bit by bit, there are people who are dead, who are insane today at a very young age because of what they have done during their youth, people who never lived to fulfil their destiny. You sure don’t want to jeopardise your future because of youthful exuberance . if you are addicted , my advice for you is to seek help, don’t wait until you are picking up papers on the street or when you are on the sickbed, to those who haven’t started , DON’T TRY IT, TO THOSE WHO HAVE, STOP IT!!!

This is a piece of my mind to the Nigerian youth, YOUR FUTURE WORTH MORE THAN PLEASURE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!