Substance abuse refers to the habitual use of illegal drugs or the misuse of legal
drugs. Hashish, opium, alcohol, tobacco, and psychiatric substances are common
drugs. However, heroin is the most widely used drug in the world.
Substance misuse is very devastating for adolescents. World health organization “WHO”
defines young persons as those aged 10 to 24.
According to a national poll in the United States, 78% of adolescents consume
alcohol. 47 percent of respondents indicated regular alcohol consumption.
Approximately 1,700 deaths were related to drug usage in the United Kingdom
and Isle of Man in 2019, with more than 70 percent of victims being male.
In Kenya, substance misuse among college and university students is chronic.
Globally, substance addiction among adolescents is frequent and has negative
effects on adolescent growth and development. Males are more likely to abuse
drugs than females. In Kenya, 43 percent of male adolescents and 37 percent of
female adolescent’s smoke cigarettes; this finding is statistically significant.
Similarly, in certain Asian cultures, parents give greater supervision for their
daughters. Parental supervision could be one of the reasons why girls take
substances less frequently.
There are many factors in which influences one decision to consume drugs. The
main risk factor for adolescent drug usage is poverty. Substance misuse is
significantly more prevalent among adolescents from middle- and lower-income
socioeconomic backgrounds.
Poverty impacts a person's health and has significant physical and psychological implications. To cope with many stressors, such as unemployment, inadequate housing, lack of affordable day care, and social indifference, people living in poverty take substances.
To tackle this issue, media can play a significant role in social transformation.
Media must be included from the beginning to the completion of the effort to
reduce substance usage among adolescents. This campaign could incorporate
local media as partners.
The media can engage in marketing by demonstrating a positive impact on the prevention of drug abuse. Details of the complete initiative must be shared with the media, whose function is to disseminate messages about the children's education program to the entire community. To prevent juvenile substance abuse, they must broadcast talk programs, program-related
notifications, conferences, story creation, newspaper article coverage, and
advertisements.
Substance abuse is a significant threat to global public health, with
repercussions for young. Individual, social, and economic vulnerabilities are
associated with substance misuse risk factors.
Young substance abusers are susceptible to severe, and occasionally fatal, physical, and mental health issues. Additionally, family and community life are negatively damaged. The fight
against substance misuse cannot be effective without the participation of a variety
of community stakeholders and the availability of necessary resources. Project
Radio-Lit is an excellent example of a community-based program that mobilizes
individuals and communities to minimize drug abuse specially among young
migrants.
Listen to Negmeldin Arbab Podcast here
Article produced in the framework of the RadioLit project, managed by African Media Association and funded by the US Embassy Malta, through the JuliaTaft Refugee Fund.
