PERCEPTION OF NORTH-CENTRAL NIGERIAN SCHOOL TEACHERS ABOUT SUBSTANCE USE AMONG THEIR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS 
Omotoso A.B*1. FWACP, Makanjuola A.B2. FWACP, Abiodun O.A. FMCPsych. 3
1 Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, Department of Behavioural Sciences, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital Ilorin, Nigeria
2Drug Abuse Treatment, Research & Rehab Centre, Department of Behavioural Sciences, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital Ilorin, Nigeria
3 Department of Behavioural Sciences, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital Ilorin, Nigeria

*Correspondence: ayotundeomotoso@gmail.com, makanju2@yahoo.com.

ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE
To assess the knowledge and attitude of secondary school teachers in Ilorin to substance use.

BACKGROUND AND AIM:
Adolescent substance use is a worldwide phenomenon that requires a multidisciplinary approach in tackling. School teachers have a crucial role in the prevention of substance use disorders among in-school adolescents. Therefore, this study aimed to interview teachers in a bid to understand their knowledge and attitude towards substance abuse among their students.


 
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
The Teachers’ Substance Use Questionnaire provided information about the sociodemographic characteristics, and the knowledge and attitude of teachers to substance use. 

RESULTS: 
Eighty-two consenting teachers from balloted secondary schools were interviewed (Table 1). Most teachers (61%)were exposed to drug education as students. Only 30% of teachers were presently teaching drug education, while 62.2% of them considered drug use to be a low grade problem among students. Contrary to students’ report (reported elsewhere), few teachers(25.6%) considered solvent use prevalent in their school.
Few teachers reported that if they found their student to be taking substances, they would encourage the student to continue (17.1%), or that they would ignore the incidence (9.8%). Many teachers reported that students who abuse drugs need to be punished (58.5%), and 22% of teachers reported that schools had no role to play in handling drug abuse.

CONCLUSIONS
Teachers are important stakeholders in the society and in the education sector. There is a need for continued drug education of teachers so that they can play vital roles in curbing the menace of substance abuse among in-school youths.