SURVEY OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE OF STUDENTS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE, BENUE STATE UNIVERSITY, MAKURDI

Abstract

The study is a survey of substance abuse and emotional intelligence of students in the department of Library and Information Science, Benue State University, Makurdi. The specific purposes of the study include: to identify the types of drugs commonly abused by students, ascertain the perceived effects of drug abuse on students and to assess the extent to which substance abuse affects the emotional intelligence of students. In line with the purposes of the study, three research questions were formulated to guide the study. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The population of the study consisted of 1147 undergraduate students of Library and Information Science, Benue State University, Makurdi. 115 which is 10% of the population was used as the sample size of the study. The instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire. Data collected was analysed descriptively using frequency and simple percentage. Findings revealed the types of commonly abused drugs by students to include cocaine, marijuana, alcohol, heroine, cigarette, coffee/caffeine, morphine and amphetamine. The study revealed the perceived effects of drug abuse among students to include; truancy in school, theft of materials, rudeness to lecturers and parents, dropping out of school, indulgence in examination malpractice, joining bad gangs such as cultism and they engaged in gambling and prostitution. The study also revealed that these drugs are abused to a large extent by students. Based on the findings of the study, the following recommendations are made: on the findings of the commonly abused drugs/substance by students, the researchers recommend that, the government should instruct pharmacists and medical practitioners to always request for prescription notes from school children especially teenagers and adolescents before drugs are sold to them and the drugs should be sold to them as prescribed. This will help in curtailing drugs/substances abuse among students; on the effects of drugs/substance abuse on students, the study recommend that the National University Commission in collaboration with the Ministry of Education (Federal and State) should instruct the NDLEA to from time to time carry out sensitization programmes to both tertiary and secondary schools to create awareness about the dangers of substance abuse and its negative effects to academic performance of students and their general health. Finally, on the extent of drug/substance abuse by students, the study recommended that, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), National Agency for Food and Drug Abuse Control (NAFDC) and other control groups should not relent in carrying out their responsibilities on drug abusers in order to make Nigeria a drug abuse free society with a special focus on the Nigerian youths in the universities because they are the future leaders of this great country, Nigeria. Punishments should be levied on offenders to deter others from indulging in drugs.