An Inquiry Into The Social Consquences Of Drug Abuse Among The Youth In Naka W A Division Kampala District.

ABSTRACT

This study was on an inquiry into the social consequences among the youths 111 Nakawa division

Kampala District. The study was carried out for a period of one month.

The need for the study arose due to the high rates of drug abuse among the youths . The researcher used

in-depth interviews, key formants, Observations and documentary review during the study based on the

objectives such as establishing the causes of drug abuse among the youths, the effects of drug abuse and

the strategies towards drug abuse. The researcher used a sample size of 60 people and used Statistical

package for social sciences for easy analysis.

The research study had the following findings, as far as sex was concerned, the male respondents with

66% were the most being followed by female respondents with 40%. This was because the females were

always absorbed with domestic chores hence could not be easily approached. Basing on age, majority of

the respondents were between the age of I 9-20 (37%), 22-35 were 33% while between the age of 30-40

were I 8%. The last group was between the age of 45-56 with I I%.

The marital status showed that 60% of the respondents were married, 25% were singles while I 5% had

divorced. To them they claimed that their husbands failed to provide the basic needs. The educational

levels indicated that 35% were primary dropouts and perhaps could explain why drug abuse was high,

26% studied up to institution level while I 8% had attained degrees.

Basing on the causes of drug abuse, peer influence with 36o/o was noted to be leading cause being

followed by stress 23%, illiteracy with 22% polygamy with I 6% while conflicts with 3% came last. The

study also found that as far as the role of civil society was concerned in the reduction of drug abuse, it had

carried out sensitization to the masses 33% so as to curb the situation, 20% set up lows governing drug

abuse such as payment of fines, imprisonment among others. I 8% . I 6% provided education such as adult functional literacy, while 13% showed that the government should provide employment opp011unities. Recommendations such as The civil society should cooperate with the grass root people so as to ensure that drug abuse cases are reported. The information obtained from this study may help actor's human resource depa1tments, ministry of Labour and the government in general to reduce on the problem of drug abuse. The research study was limited by the inadequate financial services that limited the researchers movement and finishing the research study.