Enugu’s 360,000 Youth Drug Abuse Figures Raise Concern

More than 360,000 youths in Enugu State are reportedly involved in drug use, representing about 13.4 per cent of the state’s youth population, raising concerns over the growing abuse of hard drugs among teenagers.

Residents, health professionals and other stakeholders have warned that the trend threatens the health, education and future of young people, particularly teenage boys.

Investigations revealed that substances being abused by youths in the state include cannabis, methamphetamine, popularly known as Mkpuru Mmiri, and the misuse of certain prescription medicines.

The effects of substance abuse vary depending on the type of drug, the quantity consumed, frequency of use, and the age and health of the individual.

For teenagers, whose brains and emotional regulation are still developing, repeated substance use can affect concentration, learning, decision-making and relationships. It may also contribute to dependence, psychological distress and other serious health complications.

The investigation further identified Onuasata, Obiagu and Coal Camp as areas where some youths reportedly gather to abuse hard drugs.

A 2025 study of secondary school students in Enugu South Local Government Area also found that substance use was a significant concern among the adolescents surveyed.

A medical doctor, Dr Obinna Okpara, stressed the need for targeted prevention efforts to address substance abuse among adolescents.

He identified peer pressure, curiosity, the desire to fit into a group and exposure to environments where drugs are used as factors that could influence teenagers to experiment with harmful substances.

Okpara added that family conflict, inadequate parental supervision, emotional difficulties and limited access to constructive recreational activities could also increase the vulnerability of some adolescents to substance abuse.