Steve is a student of a neighboring school, he woke up to see his mother above his head. His most recent memory is that he was seeing white all around. He tried so hard to remember at least what had happened to him but nothing came. He looked around himself. Just as he was trying to figure out preceding events, his mother shouted for the doctor to come.
After a few seconds of examining Steve, the doctor scribbled some things on a sheet of paper, handed it over to the nurse and again left hurriedly. "Wetin happen?" He asked his mum. The obviously fidgeting mother answered "you bin collapse yesterday" trying to hide tears.
At this point, Steve's memory was coming back and he could recollect some events from the previous day. Steve tried furtively to remember but the last thing he could remember was that he went to his guys' place and they had introduced a substance he didn't know about to him. He was told to "try it, it is good for your mind". He also remembered how they quickly put him in a cab when they noticed he started losing consciousness. It was on his way home that he passed out, seeing white all around him and hearing his name from a distance.
He was lost in his thoughts had tears rolling down his eyes when he heard his mother's voice saying "No Cry. Na Clara our neighbor see you for road call me for phone". More tears came streaming down his cheeks.

Steve is the eldest Child of his widowed mother, Caro. The only child she could sponsor to a University. Caro who operates a beer parlor at Angwanjukum, Wurukum, Makurdi. She lost her husband 10 years ago and has refused to remarry since that time with the motive of taking care of her children.
Over the years, Steve had engaged in everything done by 'area boys' but had never tried the 'New Stuff'. However, recently, his friends had started inhaling, sniffing and injecting substances and he had been laughed at so many times for being weak. Now his life had flashed before him and he knows he'd rather be 'weak'.
He saw the Doctor a few hours later and pleaded with him not to tell his mother what had happened, he knows it might kill her. His mother has tried everything humanly possible within her capacity to bring him and his siblings up single handedly, hearing that he is now involved with drugs will set her back.
Steve is like an average boy growing up in Nigeria and has been overwhelmed by the influence the environment has on him. Let's not forget that Steve is 18 years old.

Drugs and substance abuse has now become a national and international problem. About 10 years ago, statistics showed that out of every 10 youths, 6 young boys indulge in drug abuse. But now, out of every 10 youths, you'll find 5 young girls who indulge in it and this is increasing daily at an alarming rate. Tramadol and Codeine possibly give you that temporary pleasure, the harm waiting at the other side of the fence is grievous.
Be informed. SPREAD THE WORD NOT THE DRUG.
Stop Drugs and Substance Abuse Today. #SDSAT


Chia, Mom Michael, SAL
500L LAW
Honorable Attorney General Redemption Chambers
Faculty of Law, Benue State University, Makurdi