CULTURAL INFLUENCE ON DRUG ABUSE: A STUDY OF TOBACCO ABUSE AMONG IBIBIO YOUTHS

Tobacco and drug abuse is a global concern today with every country having its bit ofchallenge to confront. This qualitative research was undertaken to assess the culture ofalcohol and drug abuse among Ibibio youths of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The study sought toexamine how the culture practices influence tobacco abuse among Ibibio youths throughtraditional marriage and burial ceremonies as practised by the Ibibio people. Theresearchers made use of Bandura's Social Learning Theory for the theoretical framework.The researchers adopted an exploratory research design. The sample for this study was of agebetween 18 years and above, who were randomly selected through Fettermen's big-netapproach from the selected villages across the Ibibio speaking local government areas in the3 senatorial districts of Akwa Ibom State. The instrument for data collection was the interviewguide. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, key informant interviews, andparticipant observations. The findings of the study revealed that Ibibio youths take to tobaccoabuse as a cultural practice approved by the elders as part of traditional requirements fortraditional marriage and burial rites. Among others, the researchers recommends legislativeapproach toward removal of tobacco products like cigarette and snuff as part of youth items intheir traditional requirements for cultural practices.