Drug Use/Abuse and its’ Effect on the Academic Performance of Undergraduate Students in Imo State University, Owerri, Imo State Nigeria

This study was carried out to examine drug abuse/abuse and academic performance of students in Imo State University Owerri. The study specifically examines the extent drug abuse impact on students reading culture; determine the extent drug abuse impact on student’s failure rate in exams and investigate the extent drug abuse impact on student’s level of concentration in Imo state University. Relevant literatures were reviewed as authoritative backup to the study. We adopted the social cognitive theory as our theoretical framework. The study employed the survey descriptive research design. Questionnaires were used for data collection and was analysed using the frequency counts and percentages. Also interview was used for further insight to the study. The sample sixe for the study is 380 students of Imo State University. From the responses obtained and analysed, the findings revealed that there is a significant impact of drug abuse on students reading culture in Imo state University. The study also revealed that: drug abuse has to a very high extent impacted on students reading culture; drug abuse has to a very high extent impacted on student’s failure rate in exams and drug abuse has to a high extent impacted impact on student’s level of concentration in Imo state University. On the basis of these findings, it was recommended among others that: government should prevent the cultivation/sales of Indian Helm and other deadly herbs that encourage drug abuse; counseling education should be introduced in campuses to save those who have already been engaging in the act; government should strictly enforce its existing laws against drug abuse through its regulatory agencies.