The Impact Of Drug Abuse On The Socio- Economic Development Of Youths In Kanyaryeru Sub-County, Kiruhura District, Uganda

ABSTRACT 

This research study titled “the Impact of Drug Abuse on the Socio- Economic Development of Youths in Kanyaryeru Sub-County, Kiruhura District. The purpose of this study was to establish the extent to which drug abuse has affected the youths socioeconomically especially in the aspects of marginalisation, poverty, crimes and unemployment. The study was descriptive and analytical in nature where both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection were used through Questionnaires, interviews and observation. Collected data was analysed using SPSS and was presented in form of frequency tables, percentages and graphs. The findings established that youths constituted a large segment of drug abusers though adults also are involved. The level of consumption or abuse of drugs was discovered to be growing at a faster rate which has resulted into an increase in the spread of diseases, health illnesses like cancer, HIV/AIDS, Tuberclosis among others are also in the increase due to increasing use of illegal drugs. The economic challenges youths face as a result of drug abuse included productivity loss, health costs and crime costs. Emphasising measures such as counselling, community watch, implementation of strict laws against drug abuse would help to solve the problem of drug abuse. The study therefore suggested and recommended that; implementation of strict laws on production of drugs can help to reduce the vice, community sensitization, neighbourhood watch in addition to regulation of strict laws on production and consumption of drugs. Nevertheless police officers involved in corruption should be and emphasising counselling sessions to the youths addicted to drug abuse through education, treatment, and self-help support projects. Further research could be conducted on drug abuse and its impact on psychosocial wellbeing