title: Some sociocultural aspects of the problem of drug abuse in Nigeria.
abstract: This paper surveys the literature on drug abuse in Nigeria and attempts to delineate some sociocultural aspects of the problem of drug abuse frequently reported in Nigeria. Changing patterns in age and sex showed that drug abuse now starts at an early age and sex variation depends on the substance of abuse. Girls tend to abuse hypno-sedatives more than boys while the reverse is the case for stimulants. Regarding occupation and social class there are some changing patterns. Cultural changes have attributed to the civil war, industrialization, rapid urbanization and increased exposure to the West. It is hoped that this presentation will generate interest in the study of sociocultural factors in drug abuse aimed at suggesting guidelines for preventive programmes.
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000523:psychology; D009549:Nigeria; D009790:Occupations; D012737:Sex Factors; D012923:Social Class; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology*