Chapter 7: Drug and alcohol consumption as predictors of vulnerability to sexual victimization among female students of a Federal Polytechnic by Olutope E. Akinnawo, Bede C. Akpunne & Abigal Ikeoruonye

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Introduction
The abuse of alcohol and illicit and prescription drugs among adolescents is a major health problem internationally. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reports that in 2010 approximately 5 per cent of the world’s population, most of which are young people, used an illicit drug. It is estimated that alcohol abuse results in 2.5 million deaths per year and that heroin, cocaine and other drugs are responsible for 0.1 to 0.2 million deaths per year (UNODC, 2005, 2010). Research studies from around Nigeria had found similarly high prevalence of alcohol and substance use among adolescents in the country (Omokhodion & Faseru, 2007; Igwe, Ojinnaka, Ejiofor, Emechebe & lbe. 2009; Oshodi, Aina & Onajole, 2010).
Evidences from related findings show that alcohol and substance use is very common among Nigerian adolescents. Substance usage among Nigerian adolescents and young people is well documented (Eneh & Stanley, 2004; Omokhodion & Faseru, 2007; lgwe, Ojinnaka, Ejiofor, Emechebe Si lbe, 2009; Oshodi, Aina & Onaiole, 2010). In a related research carried out in the USA byThe Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA, 2013) on the Annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), an increase in the use of illicit drugs among
Americans aged 12 years or older was reported. Also that drug use is highest among people in their late teens and twenties. Most people use drugs for the first time when they are teenagers. There were just over 2.8 million new users of illicit drugs in 2013, or about 7,800 new users per day. Over half (54.1 percent) were under 18 years of age. (National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), 2015). More than half of new illicit drug users begin with marijuana. Next most common are prescription pain relievers, followed by inhalants (which is most common among younger teens). In 2013 about 22.7% of persons between ages 12 to 20 years use alcohol (NIDA, 2015).

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