The future hope and fears of adolescents mental health in an addiction world: Enhancing adolescents health through drug use prevention strategies.

Drug abuse is the excessive, persistent self administration of any drug without due regard for accepted medical or cultural practice.  Drug abuse is one of the top problems affecting the mental health and well-being of adolescents globally today. Incidences of drug and alcohol abuse and related anti-social behavior have tremendously increased in recent years. This has become a matter of concern to the government, parents, teachers, Non-governmental organizations and all other relevant agencies. Drug abuse is a major public health problem all over the world. The use and abuse of drugs by adolescents have become one of the most disturbing health related phenomena in Nigeria and other parts of the world. The upsurge in use of drugs among secondary school students have been strongly linked to their knowledge and attitude about the drug. Given the momentous or calamitous signs that substance abuse and misuse portends for the students, their families and the society at large, the study is pertinent to provide answers to the promising strategies for prevention. The study surveyed the views of 50 parents on the promising strategies for prevention that can be utilized to combating substance abuse and misuse among adolescents in Nigeria.  The participants in the study were professionals in their own various fields, these includes males and females within the different age categories.  The written responses from the participants were qualitatively analyzed. The findings from this study provided increased information on existing prevention strategies to combat drug abuse and misuse among adolescents. In addition, findings of the study has implication to serve as a useful guide for organizations, schools and agencies to kick start prevention intervention programs and trainings for adolescents in secondary schools who will be ambassadors to war against drug abuse or misuse. 

Keywords:  Combating, Substance Abuse, Misuse, Promising Strategies, Preventions