IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON DRUGS USAGE AMONG YOUTH: A CASE STUDY OF UPPER SAKPONBA IN NIGERIA

This study examined the Impact of Social Media on Drugs Usage among Youth: A Case Study of Upper Sakponba in Nigeria. The study sampled 395 respondents in Upper Sakponba, Benin City and was anchored on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Social Learning theories. The findings revealed that drugs usage among youth in Upper Sakponba, Benin City, Nigeria, is significantly correlated with social media, with Instagram serving as the main platform for drug-related content. The results show that easy access to drugs and cultural normalisation are major contributors to drug abuse, along with poverty, unemployment, peer pressure and a lack of parental guidance. The study further suggests that focused social media interventions, ethical influencer marketing, digital literacy courses and community-based projects. Stakeholders can encourage healthy lifestyles, offer counseling services and lower youth drug abuse by utilising social media platforms