Drug addicts attribute high rate of abuse to unemployment, parenting

Some drug addicts in Kaduna have attributed the high rate of drug abuse among youths in the state to unemployment and poor parenting.

Some of the addicts said in a separate interview with the News Agency of Nigerian (NAN) in Kaduna yesterday that they indulged in the act due to idleness.

One of them, Musa Sani, 26, a university graduate, said he took to drugs after idling away at home for many years after graduating from the university without a job.

Sani, a graduate of Business Administration from a Malaysian University, said after sourcing for capital to start a business without success, he began taking drugs to ease the pain.

“I graduated in 2016 and am still jobless. Lack of opportunities and capital to start a small business exposed me to bad peer groups who introduced me to drugs. And you know once you start, it’s very difficult to stop. I won’t be in this mess if only I found something doing,” he said.

Another addict, Mr Adams Bitrus, 27, said he began abusing drugs at the age of 16 due to poor parenting.

“I wanted to be a soldier, but my father, a wealthy pastor insisted I must go to Bible school to read Theology and become a pastor.

“After many pleas to allow me to follow my dreams without success, I ran away to Abuja to stay with my elder brother and ended up doing drugs.

“I am taking Indian helm, although I want to stop, the ecstasy is too satisfying and stronger than me that it will take serious help to get me out.

“It would have been a different story if my father had listened to me and allow me to chose my carrier,” Bitrus said.