Demographic dynamics, substance use and development in akwa ibom State, Nigeria

Substance use and contributions to development vary depending on age structure of the population and the state of wellbeing of individual members of the population. However, the spate of substance use among people of varying ages which increases with expansion in the population size become quite worrisome. This study examined the interlink between demographic dynamics, substance use and development in Akwa Ibom Statewhich has an estimated population of 5.451 million and characterize by a population growth rate of 3.2 per cent per annum, a -3.4 per cent economic growth rate and unemployment rate of 36.5 per cent. It adopted the mixed research design method.Arepresentative 400 respondentswere selected for the study using a multistage procedure that involved three sampling methods, namely purposive sampling, cluster and simple random sampling.The respondents comprised males and females between the ages of 12 and 50 years. Data were collected from the respondents through interviews using a specially designed instrument titled Knowledge of Effect of Substance Use on Development (KESSOD). The study found that substance usealters the psychepotentialsof the users and abusers;affects their capacities to perform normal social, economic and political roles therefore, detrimental to the development discourse of the state. Based on this, the study recommends the adoptionof neighbourhood watch policy and extension of the whistle policy to help control the menace.