Health Education and Prevention of Substance Abuse Among In-School Adolescents in Ondo State

Substance abuse among secondary school students in Nigeria is a growing public health concern, with alcohol, cannabis, and prescription drug misuse increasingly documented among young people in South West states. This study examined the role of health education in the prevention of substance abuse among in-school adolescents in Ondo State. A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was adopted, involving 320 students from public senior secondary schools in Akure, Ondo, and Okitipupa local government areas. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires and validated using Cronbach alpha reliability testing. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied in data analysis. Results revealed that less than 45 percent of respondents had received structured health education on substance abuse in school, with most obtaining information through peers and social media. Respondents who had participated in school health education programmes demonstrated significantly lower rates of substance experimentation. Peer pressure, family dysfunction, and academic stress were identified as primary risk factors. The study recommended the institutionalisation of comprehensive substance abuse prevention programmes in secondary school health curricula and the training of school counsellors in evidence-based prevention approaches. Community-level interventions involving parents and religious leaders were also recommended. Keywords: substance abuse, health education, adolescents, secondary school, Ondo State