An examination of the effectiveness of strategies used for the prevention of drug abuse in Zambian schools : a case of four public secondary schools in Lusaka district.

Abstract

The study was conducted to examine the effectiveness of strategies used for the Prevention of Drug abuse in Zambian Schools: a case study of Four Public Secondary Schools in Lusaka District. The study had four specific objectives which were: To identify causes of drugs abuse at Munali Boys and Girls and Kabulonga Boys and Girls Secondary Schools; to examine the preventive and curative strategies implemented in the schools sampled; examine the strategy implementation mechanisms adopted and identify constraints leading to failure; and to make recommendations of effective actions and strategies to address the pupil drugs abuse scourge. The study used both probability and non-probability sampling methods to select a total of 115 respondents. Simple random sampling was used to select 100 pupils, while purposive sampling was used to select 15 key informants. Qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis while quantitative data was analyzed using a computer software program called Statistical package for Social Sciences or SPSS version 20. The study found that: a) Factors influencing drug abuse among pupils include: early introduction to alcohol; exposure to adult beer drinking or alcohol dependence; access to alcohol from parents and others; association with friends who abuse drugs like drinking heavily; Zambia’s beer drinking culture; access to cheap drugs like alcohol, codeine and many others and drugs marketing . b) Drug abuse preventive strategies and policies put in place were less effective as the number of pupils involves in the bad vice was increasing. The most abused drugs by pupils were alcohol, codeine, marijuana or weed and cocaine. At the same time, only 48% of pupils take part in sensitization programmes on the dangers of drug abuse. This shows that the preventive measures in place were not effective enough. However, based on the findings of the study it was recommended that classroom-based prevention strategies should be complemented with family, community, and policy initiatives. Furthermore, the government should address the problem of drugs availability from commercial providers and should conduct enforcement campaigns using compliance checks and also fine or suspend licenses as penalties for establishments that sell drugs to pupils or Juveniles.