PROFILE OF PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCE USE AMONG TRAINEE TEACHERS IN AN INSTITUTION OF HIGHER LEARNING IN BENIN CITY, NIGERIA

Abstract

The use of psychoactive substances is increasing among youths and Adolescents globally.  Nigeria is not  exempted and both the electronic and print media are replete with such discussions. The trainers in the secondary schools who are supposed to make impact on the students are assumed to have had adequate knowledge of these substances (while in training) and to refrain from using them as well.  It is therefore necessary to look at trainee teachers’ substance use profile. The study was carried out in a tertiary institution (Ekiadolor, Benin) that awards  National Certificate in Education(NCE).It has a population of 6000 students, 5 schools/faculties and each school has different departments.  Second year students were chosen for the study purposively.  The departments were determined by convenience sampling method and eighty students were sampled from each of the 5 schools across the various departments randomly. The questionnaires used consisted of a Socio-Demographic Data Sheet and a World Health Organization Instrument on Students Drug Use Survey. Prevalence of the psychoactive substance use are in percentages both for lifetime and current use. Current use in brackets.  Alcohol 47.4%(14.4%), cannabis 3.5% (1.3%), Tobacco 3.5% (1%), Tranquilizers 2.5%(1.3%), Solvents 2.5% (0.8%) and Opium 1.3%((0.3%) respectively.  Furthermore 91.2% are aware substances can cause harm and the commonest means of accessing information on use of substances was Television and Internet. In conclusion Trainee Teachers need to embrace abstinence from Substance use in order to be able to impact a drug free mindset in their students