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INNOSC Theranostics and
Pharmacological Sciences Opioid use among Nigerian students

1. Introduction students involved in substance abuse. The exclusion criteria
were as follows: non-English language articles, articles
Opioids are pain-relieving drugs with severe side effects with no full text available, duplicate publications or studies
such as addiction potential, poisoning, and overdose. In with overlapping data published before 2008 or after 2024,
2021, the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control articles that did not focus on opioid misuse or substance
(CDC) of the United States reported that one-third of abuse, editorials, letters, case reports, non-human studies
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drug overdose deaths involved opioids. This translates to or studies not focused on Nigerian students, and articles
approximately 220 deaths caused by opioid overuse per on diseases not relevant to Nigeria.
1]
day. The increased craving and non-medical utilization
of opioids among students may be attributed to the rise 3. Opioid misuse among Nigerian students
2
in opioid prescriptions such as analgesics. Students who
misuse opioid prescriptions are more prone to alcohol In Nigeria, a student usually aged 18 – 29 years old is
and marijuana consumption. In addition, factors such as described as someone who is enrolled in formal education
3
distress, depression, and suicidal tendencies predispose at various levels, ranging from primary to tertiary and
students to opioid misuse. How students obtain opioids even vocational institutions, to gain information and skills
4
is also a point of interest, with the main sources being in various subjects of study. Nigerian students, such as
their homes and friends. The terms used for opioid- students elsewhere, experience academic hurdles, social
5
related issues include opioid use disorder (OUD), opioid pressures, and health problems. Akande-Sholabi et al.
misuse or opioid dependence, or opioid addiction. Due (2019) reported a significant health issue among Nigerian
1
to the risks associated with its misuse, the CDC focuses students, namely opioid use, particularly with codeine-
on prescription monitoring, state laws, education, quality containing drugs. In Nigeria, cough syrups include codeine,
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improvement, and awareness. Adequate reporting of a commonly misused narcotic that students ingest.
1
data regarding its prevalence will be beneficial for its Despite its prohibition in several countries, including
prevention. Despite studies on opioid use in Nigeria, Nigeria, codeine misuse has become a widespread trend
only a few focused on Nigerian students, particularly among Nigerian youngsters and is frequently a gateway to
identifying prevalence estimates of non-prescribed opioid the misuse of other narcotics. 7
use among Nigerian students and exploring cultural and The opioid crisis is a worldwide problem, and Nigeria
societal factors favoring opioid and other drug use in this is no exception. Opioid misuse among Nigerian students
population. In addition, studies on prescription drug use has been connected to several causes, including easy access
and illegal opioid use are limited. This review aimed to to narcotics, peer influence, and the desire to cope with
identify the prevalence estimates of non-prescribed opioid academic stress and social issues. According to Akande-
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use among Nigerian students and explore the cultural and Sholabi et al. (2019), codeine-containing cough syrups
societal factors favoring opioid and other drug use in this are the most frequently taken opioid medicines among
population. It further seeks to provide and discuss strategies Nigerian students, underlining the issue of drug use in
that could offer effective and long-lasting solutions for educational settings. The misuse of opioids endangers
Nigerian policymakers to curb opioid use among Nigerian students’ health and well-being, resulting in addiction,
students. negative impacts, and potential long-term implications. 9
2. Methodology The availability and accessibility of opioids in Nigeria
contribute significantly to student drug misuse. Despite
A systematic search was performed across electronic the country’s opioid-prescribing limitations, issues in
databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and properly implementing these rules remain, resulting in
ResearchGate using the following Boolean operators: the ongoing incidence of opioid misuse. Furthermore,
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(Opioid Misuse) AND (Students) AND (Nigeria) AND the social acceptance and normalization of opioid use in
(Prevention Strategies) AND (Opioid Use Disorder). specific situations contribute to the problem, producing
Studies on opioid misuse among Nigerian students were a culture where substance misuse is not. The lack of
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identified. Articles were selected based on their relevance, strict enforcement of opioid-dispensing restrictions at
focusing on prevalence rates, associated factors, and community pharmacies also contributes to opioid misuse
preventive measures. The inclusion criteria were as follows: in patient populations, such as individuals with sickle cell
English language articles published between 2008 and 2024 11
that focused on opioid misuse among Nigerian students, illness.
original research articles, reviews, case studies, cross- Furthermore, students’ attitudes and beliefs about
sectional studies, randomized control, non-randomized opioids have a noteworthy influence on their overuse.
control trials, and case reports, and studies on Nigerian Pharmacy schools should add opioid misuse management

Volume 8 Issue 1 (2025) 48 doi: 10.36922/itps.3894