drug abuse

Drug addiction is one of the burning problems in the modern society. Annually there is a steady increase in the level of drug abuse. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime publishes “World Drugs Report 2018”, where it was reported that about 275 million people (almost 5.6% of the world population) aged 15-64 used drugs at least once in their lives, and opium production increased by 65% in 2016-2017 [1-3]. Therefore, the question of studying the influence of drugs on the structural organization of organs remains open and relevant [4,5].

The study attempted to answer several questions: Does the cultural and social background of immigrant youth from the Former Soviet Union (FSU) affect their use of addictive substances? Do these youth show distinctive patterns of drug and alcohol abuse? Do the addictive substances used by these teenagers share similar characteristics? Are the patterns of drug abuse and alcohol abuse different? Do students in different educational frameworks demonstrate different consumption patterns? Can “critical moments” explain the presence or absence of alcohol and drug abuse?

The purpose of this study is to highlight the drug abuse hazards and preventive aspects. From a public health perspective, substance abuse has long been a source of major concern, both for the individual’s health and for wider society as a whole. The UK has the highest rates of recorded illegal drug misuse in the western world. In particular, it has comparatively high rates of heroin and crack cocaine use. Substances that are considered harmful are strictly regulated according to a classification system that takes into account the harms and risks of taking each drug. The adverse effects of drug abuse can be thought of in three parts that together determine the overall harm in taking it. Some addictive substances are more damaging to the skeletal system along with the others. In this review article, an effort has been taken to elaborate the effects of addictive drugs on human highlighting these most problematic substances for bones and also the promising potential prevention aspects of drug abuse.

Prescriptions for psychoactive substances such as Pregabalin, Methamphetamine, Caffeine, Clonazepam and Mirtazapine (PM-CCM) are common in the treatment of a variety of disorders. Indeed, the PM-CCM has been used in different therapeutic areas, including insomnia, anxiety, seizure disorders, etc. Unfortunately, these psychoactive substances are present in the illegal street market, leading to a lot of drug abuse among some addicted users, road insecurity and suicide. Hence, it has become essential to validate and develop a rapid and effective method to analyze the PM-CCM, a modified illicit drug, for drug abuse in the forensic sciences. A simple, rapid, specific and sensitive Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry(GC-MS) method has been developed for the identification of Pregabalin, Methamphetamine, Caffeine, Clonazepam and Mirtazapine (PM-CCM) in forensic exhibits. At room temperature, the sample was ultrasonicated for 5 minutes before being extracted with methanol. A highly precise auto-injector is used to inject a very small quantity of samples for analysis. Helium is used as a carrier gas with a flow rate of 1 ml/min. The separation of PM-CCM was performed on SH-RXi-5 MS, ID.25 mm, film thickness. 25 µm, length of 30 m column. The constituents of PM-CCM were identified by the mass-to-charge ratio (m/z ratio) of fragments of the parent compound by comparing them with the NIST-17 MS Library. Separation and identification of PM-CCM were achieved within a 15-minute run. The proposed method has been successfully used for the routine analysis of PM-CCM in complex illicit drug preparations and in forensic exhibits as well. The application of above discussed qualitative analysis method and screening of PM-CCM, modified illicit drug samples demonstrates the potential and applicability of the technique to the fast chemical profiling of illicit samples.  

Drug addiction remains a major health concern following its devastating consequences to the users and the economy. Current statistics show a rising trend in substance abuse around the globe with approximately 284 million people engaging in drug abuse. Various approaches are used to treat the victims of drug abuse. Cognitive behavior therapy, a form of nonpharmacological intervention, has also been shown to be an effective treatment option for drug addiction. The use of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has grown since the 1970s to become one of the most important models of psychotherapy in this decade. Various empirical studies have shown the efficacy of CBT in well-controlled trials. A total of 19 randomized trials (cases) (with over 1400 patients treated) were selected and studied. In the various cases, results showed that patients were treated for drug and substance abuse disorders with the majority being those who abused cannabis, cocaine, alcohol and other opioids. In most cases, the CBT techniques that were used for drug addiction included cognitive restructuring, relapse prevention and contingency management. Components of CBT for drug addiction include skills and training, amplification of non-substance-related activities, approaches for managing urges, drug rejection and improvement of social aptitudes. Cognitive restructuring focuses on the identification of misconceptions and influencing the way people think about themselves by eliminating distorted thinking. Relapse prevention focuses on the identification and prevention of high-risk situations that may trigger the patient to engage in drug abuse. Contingency management reinforces positive behaviors and reduces negative behaviors through the use of rewards and incentives.

Background: The socioeconomic impact of drug and substance abuse on secondary school students in Nigeria is yet to be fully evaluated even in the face of the current surge in abuse of substances among the younger folks who constitute more than half of the entire population.Objective: This study narratively reviewed the studies on the socioeconomic impacts of drug and substance abuse on secondary school students and studies by researchers in Nigeria. Methods: The study was a narrative review of the literature covering the socioeconomic impacts of drug and substance abuse on secondary school students in Nigeria from 1980 to 2023. Data were extracted and summarized with descriptive statistics. Results: All the studies took place between 2012 and 2023; 6 (100%). The studies carried out were all observational studies 6 (100%). All the studies fell below average in the benchmark for the hierarchy of evidence-based studies. The studies mostly took place in the South-West 3 (50.00%), while 1 (16.67%) took place in the South-East, North-West, and North-Central respective regions of Nigeria.Conclusion: The available studies done on the impacts of drug and substance abuse focused more on the social impacts, with little or no attention to the economic effect. The available studies however remain at the observational level in the evidence-based ladder. Future Research on the reviewed theme should focus on the economic implications of the social effects of drug and substance abuse on secondary school students in Nigeria.

Mental illness is an international health crisis that puts the lives of over three hundred million people (Four percent of the world’s population) at risk. The study was conducted at the Erigavo Mental Hospital in Somaliland and its main focus was the bond between substance abuse and mental illness. The research was to check the influence of the different drugs, screen mental health problems, and draw a link between drugs and mental illness. The sources of the quantitative data were a total of 27 employees and managers. This study is cross-sectional. We employed the measure of the magnitude and direction of a linear relationship between two variables with the Pearson correlation coefficient. The outcomes that were acquired show that there was use and particularly abuse of khat, substance smoking, and alcohol consumption, the score means of which were quite high. The investigation results, however, imply that through drug use and other forms of alcohol drug abuse, one of them counter various mental health problems. Furthermore, the addicted people demonstrated the tendency to use force in their attempt to solve the conflicts and to experience the highest degree of tension, with the mean score of the former giving 4.11 while the standard deviation of the latter giving 1.086, thus this shows the mental impact of drug use on the inhabitants of Erigavo. The main result of the study was the strong, positive relationship between drug addiction and mental illness, which became evident through an r - value of 0.509 and a p - value of 0.559. It means that those people who are involved in drug misuse are the ones who are likely to have mental health disorders. Based on the findings of the study, we suggest a combination of measures to recover drug addiction and mental illness. This consists in strengthening prevention. The study that lays the groundwork for suggestions, involves an approach that is holistic in nature. The main ideas of preventing drug usage, psychological health care, enhancing mental health services, and working towards certified professionals are key integrated activities of the whole concept. The hospital, thus, will be in a better position to eliminate the two major disease components namely; drug abuse and mental ailment. Thus, in this way, with the help of the new treatment approaches, a hospital provides and their patients who are quite likely to recover and lead healthy.

Aim and objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence and characteristics of drug dependency among patients in various rehabilitation centers in the Shimla district. Introduction: Drug abuse is a multifaceted and significant issue impacting individuals worldwide, and the city of Shimla in Himachal Pradesh is no exception. Despite its reputation as a picturesque hill station known for its natural beauty and rich cultural heritage, Shimla faces challenges related to substance abuse. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted, gathering demographic data, drug history, and indicators of dependency from the participants.Results: The findings revealed that 60% of the patients were drug-dependent, with 44% addicted to heroin and 11% to alcohol. Additionally, 60% of the patients reported a family history of chemical dependency. The study also identified associated psychological disorders such as depression and anxiety, as well as interpersonal and environmental factors like peer pressure and coping mechanisms such as avoidance and denial. Conclusion: These findings underscore the complexity of drug dependency, highlighting the need for comprehensive, multidimensional approaches to address the medical, emotional, and social aspects of addiction.