Abstract

Introduction – Substance abuse refers to the harmful or hazardous and illicit drugs. Therefore, this study examined the extent of substance abuse among selected secondary school students in Osun State. It also examined types of substance abuse and the influence of the schools location in terms of Urban/Rural difference. Methodology:- The study employed descriptive design with simple random sampling technique, resulting in the selection of twelve schools and seven hundred and twenty students (720). A standardized instrument named substance abuse subtle screening inventory (SASSI) adolescent version was used to collect information from students. The instrument consisted of one hundred (100) items. Each of the respondents used between 15 and 20 minutes to complete the items on the instrument. Three research questions were tested at 0.05 level of significant. Results:- Majority of the parents of the students were civil servants and the most abused substance was kolanut. The three hypotheses revealed that there was a significant difference between students in mixed and single sex secondary schools abused some particular substances more than the others, and Urban secondary school students tend to be more involved in substance abuse than their counterparts in rural areas. Conclusion:- It was concluded that substance abuse is rampart in some Osun state secondary school and efforts should be made for the establishment of counseling unit in all schools.