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INNOSC Theranostics and
Pharmacological Sciences Opioid use among Nigerian students

frameworks, and public health effects among countries. of 45.5% and 24.5%, respectively, highlighting the need
Although opioid misuse is frequently linked to the United for increased awareness and preventive actions among
States due to its vast epidemic, this problem is a major healthcare practitioners. 18
concern in several other nations, albeit in different contexts The situation in developing countries, such as Nigeria,
and influences. This section examines opioid consumption is very different. Its opioid misuse is frequently connected
patterns in several nations, highlighting major distinctions to a lack of knowledge and education about the hazards
and parallels to the situation in Nigeria, and the larger associated with these drugs. Medical and pharmacy
implications for global public health.
students in Nigeria consume codeine at high rates
The opioid problem in the United States has reached because of social pressure and a lack of education about
frightening proportions, with a sizable section of the the consequences of opiate usage. This demonstrates a
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population suffering from OUD. The crisis was partly serious information gap and the need for comprehensive
caused by the aggressive marketing of prescription opioids preventive interventions to address the growing trend of
in the late 1990s and early 2000s, which minimized the opioid misuse among Nigerian students.
risks of addiction. Consequently, opioid prescriptions
skyrocketed, causing a concurrent increase in addiction Cultural variables also have a substantial effect on the
and overdose mortality. By 2019, opioids accounted views about opioid use in Nigeria. Because opioids are
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for >70% of drug overdose deaths in the country. The widely available and used in conventional medicine, many
United States’ experience demonstrates the hazards of people believe they are harmless. This cultural acceptability
overprescription and the need for strict regulatory control can contribute to the higher drug abuse rates because
to avoid abuse. people may not fully appreciate the risk of addiction and
other negative consequences of opioid use. Addressing
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In contrast, several European countries have practiced these cultural elements is critical to the development of
more careful opioid prescribing practices, resulting in successful public health programs in Nigeria.
lower rates of drug abuse and addiction. For example, a
study of opioid consumption trends in Europe from 1990 Globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) has
to 2016 discovered that despite the increase in opioid underlined the significance of balanced pain treatment
use for pain management, misuse, and addiction rates techniques that consider both the therapeutic advantages
remained much lower than that in the United States. and hazards of opioid addiction. The WHO promotes
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This might be ascribed to stricter regulatory frameworks the development of national policies that encourage safe
and a more conservative attitude to pain treatment among prescription practices, public education campaigns, and
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European healthcare practitioners. Sweden and Norway greater access to addiction treatment services. Such
have strong public health policies that promote non-opioid activities are critical in combating the global opioid issue,
pain care options, which contribute to their effectiveness in particularly in countries such as Nigeria, where a lack of
preventing opioid use. 65 knowledge and education adds to increased drug abuse
rates.
However, the situation in Eastern Europe is more
complicated, with Romania and Bulgaria having higher 11. Future directions and research needs
opioid misuse rates. This issue is frequently connected to
socioeconomic situations and underfunded healthcare As the opioid crisis continues to spread worldwide, future
systems, leading to restricted access to legally prescribed paths and research requirements must be identified
opioids and a consequent reliance on illicit sources of pain to effectively address the issues posed by opioid use,
management. The variations in opioid availability and particularly among vulnerable groups such as students
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usage across Eastern and Western Europe highlight the and youth. This section discusses critical topics for future
importance of tailoring public health interventions to each research and intervention techniques that will help us gain
region’s specific difficulties. a better knowledge of opioid use and prevention.

Opioid use has historically been minimal in Asia, notably First, longitudinal studies that monitor opioid use
in Japan, due to cultural views toward pain treatment patterns over time are urgently needed, particularly among
and stringent regulatory constraints. Recent researchers teenagers and young adults. Such studies can provide
have found that despite the rising acknowledgment of important insights into the elements that contribute to the
chronic pain as a serious health problem, Japan has largely onset and course of opioid misuse. For example, a study
avoided the tremendous growth in opioid use seen in conducted in the United States found that early exposure
other countries. However, there is still cause for concern to prescription opioids during adolescence increases the
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because of the prescription opioid misuse and abuse rates risk of developing OUD later in life. A similar study in
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Volume 8 Issue 1 (2025) 53 doi: 10.36922/itps.3894