As part of activities marking the International Day Against Drug Abuse, resident doctors from Neuropsychiatric hospital, Aro, Abeokuta, yesterday embarked on awareness campaign in some secondary schools in Ogun State to sensitize students on the dangers of drug abuse and harmful effects of substance misuse.

The President of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Neuropsychiatric Hospital Aro, Dr. Chidi Ikwumezie, while speaking at Baptist Boys’ High School (BBHS) Oke-Saje, said that the campaign was part of the association’s efforts to prevent intake of harmful substances and curb drug abuse among students.

Ikwumezie, who spoke on the theme: “Mental Health Awareness and Substance Use Prevention Campaign in Secondary Schools”, expressed worry over the prevalence of drugs and harmful substances among secondary school students in the state.

He urged the students to stay away from substances including cocaine, marijuana, alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, ice, crack codeine, morphine, pentazocine among others, stressing that such substances could affect their academic performances.

“Taking substances can affect the academic performance of a student, and that is the main reason we are here. It can also affect the family of the student and the community. Substance use starts especially around secondary school age, and this is why we take our campaign to the school to nip in the bud the problem of drug abuse before it affects the academic performance & life of that student,” he said.

The ARD President said that it was imperative for the association to pick secondary schools as campaign points because the students from the age of 10-14 were the most susceptible to taking substances, saying that creating awareness would help to reduce the menace and prevent addiction among them.

“Drug abuse is that one that starts at a very early age of 10-14, this age bracket is where students try to test the first use of substance, which usually begins in secondary schools, and that is why we are targeting that particular age group so that they can be well knowledgeable about drug abuse and its harmful effects.

“So we are here to prevent the intake of substances among the students before it reaches the treatment stage in order to reduce the burden of drug abuse and prevalence so that the little resources we have in the country can be used to manage those who are already encountering challenges of illness from drug abuse,” he added.

Ikwumezie, however, urged parents and guardians of the students to always educate their children about the harmful effects of drug abuse, monitor their activities so as not to be influenced by peer groups to take substances that could endanger their lives and future.

Earlier, the Principal of BBHS Senior Secondary School, Evangelist Tunde Odeyemi, thanked the doctors for the campaign, but cautioned students against the use of substances, noting that it could negatively impact their academic performance and ruin their lives.

One of the students, Quayyum Akinyemi, expressed appreciation for the campaign awareness against drug abuse brought to the school, saying the awareness would open the eyes of many students to the dangers inherent in the use of drugs.