ABSTRACT
The study was carried out to thoroughly look into the Causes of Substance abuse amongst undergraduate students in the University of Benin. It used the University of Benin as the Area of study. The study used a sample of 200 students from the 41,996 population of the 2021/2022 academic session. It made use of four objectives. A 100% response rate was obtained from the questionnaires that were administered in the field.
The study revealed that students are overwhelmed with academic and emotional stress, leading them to seek coping mechanisms through substance use which ultimately leads to abuse. According to the study, the commonly used substances amongst undergraduate students in the University of Benin, includes weed (loud), cannabis, alcohol, and drugs. It also discovered that the use of these substances has severe consequences, including negative impacts on academic performance, mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and mood swings, and strained relationships with family and friends. It also reveal that substance abuse is associated with lower GPAs, decreased academic motivation, and increased risk of academic failure. Finally, it indicates that substance abuse is associated with increased risk of depression, anxiety, and other mental health problems. It recommends Substance abuse/use Prevention Programs that will develop and implement evidence-based substance use prevention programs targeting undergraduate students. Secondly, Counseling Services which will provide accessible and confidential counseling services to support students struggling with substance use and mental health issues. Finally the University administration should provide academic support which will offer academic support services, such as tutoring and academic advising, to help students manage stress and academic pressure.
