The Use and Prevalence of Cannabis among Students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State

Cannabis poses a growing public health challenge in Nigeria, affecting various groups, including students. Evidence shows a significant prevalence of Cannabis use among students nationwide, yet limited research has focused on university students, particularly in the Southeast region. This study aimed to assess the extent of Cannabis use and its impact on students at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State. Data were collected using a structured, self-administered questionnaire randomly distributed to select undergraduate students from the Faculties of Arts, Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Health Sciences. Data analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 27. Out of 377 participants, 113 (30%) reported using Cannabis. Female students accounted for 35.5% of the respondents, while males made up 65.5%. "Weed" emerged as the most prevalent form/identifier of Cannabis prevalent amongst students. The study identified the frequency and patterns of its use, with a majority (41.8% of the Cannabis users) reporting to use it occasionally. It went ahead to establish the various motivations for Cannabis use, including peer influence, confidence building, emotional issues, and recreational purposes, as well as the influence of the media on its prevalence. The media influenced 15.9% of users, while the leading motivation for Cannabis use was peer pressure (33.33%), and followed by emotional challenges (27.27%). Negative mental health effects were reported by 18.3% of users, while 25.8% experienced disrupted Sleep patterns as a result of Cannabis use. Additionally, 58.7% observed a significantly increased appetite as a result of the use of Cannabis. Consequently, engineering students exhibited the highest prevalence of Cannabis use (86.2%) compared to other faculties, and female students (68.5%) were found to be more significantly represented among Cannabis users than their male counterparts (50.2%). These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions and faculty-specific strategies to address Cannabis use, while also paying attention to gender-specific factors contributing to its prevalence.

Cannabis refers to a group of three plants with psychoactive properties, known as Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. When the flowers of these plants are harvested and dried, you’re left with one of the most common drugs in the world. Some call it weed, some call it pot, and others call it marijuana. It is usually consumed for its relaxing and calming effects. It is the most widely used (illicit) substance across the world, and its consumption is expected to increase, as various countries legalize the recreational use of marijuana. It is usually consumed for its relaxing and calming effects. It is the most widely used (illicit) substance across the world, and the consumption is expected to increase, as various countries legalise the recreational use of marijuana. In some U.S. states, it’s also prescribed to help with a range of medical conditions, including chronic pain, glaucoma, and poor appetite. But while cannabis comes from a plant and is considered natural, it has strong effects, both positive and negative.

Cannabis use among adolescents, including university students, has been consistently reported to be associated with a high incidence of suicidal behaviours. Little empirical research has been conducted on the propensity impact of cannabis use on suicidal behaviours in Africa.

Possible mechanisms underlying an association between early cannabis use and educational attainment include the possibility that cannabis use induces amotivational syndrome or that cannabis use causes cognitive impairment. However, there appears to be relatively little empirical support for these hypotheses. It is proposed that the link between early cannabis use and educational attainment arises because of the social context within which cannabis is used. In particular, early cannabis use appears to be associated with the adoption of an anti-conventional lifestyle characterized by affiliations with delinquent and substance-using peers, and the precocious adoption of adult roles, including early school leaving, leaving the parental home, and early parenthood [1].

Study area and setting

The study was conducted in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State. The Nnamdi Azikiwe University has a total of seventeen faculties. For this study, four faculties were used for the assessment. The faculties were: the Faculty of Engineering, the Faculty of Arts, the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and the Faculty of Health Sciences.

Study design

This study utilized a descriptive cross-sectional study design. This study was conducted among students at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria, in four out of the university's seventeen faculties: Arts, Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Health Sciences.

The questionnaire for this research was adapted and pre-tested before it was distributed to second-year to fifth-year students of the four Faculties. These questionnaires were self-administered and collected back after the respondents finished filling them.

Study population

The study was carried out among the Students in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Sciences, Engineering, and Arts Faculty of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. In the Faculty of Health Sciences, four departments were used as a case study for the faculty. The departments were: Environmental Health Sciences, Medical Rehabilitation, Radiography, and Medical Laboratory Sciences.

Sample size

The study was carried out among undergraduate students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Anambra State. The sample size was derived using Yamane’s formula [n = N/1+N (e)2], at an estimated attrition rate of 5%. The sample size obtained for the study was three hundred and seventy-seven (377) students.

Sampling techniques

The study employed a convenience sampling technique to distribute the validated questionnaire to the eligible Students. The consent to participate in the research was obtained from each of the student participants before the questionnaire was administered to them.

Study duration

The Cross-sectional study was conducted for four months, from August to November 2024.

Ethical consideration

Before the study commenced, ethical approval for the study protocol was obtained from the Research and Ethics Committee of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH), with Reference: COOUTH/HREC/Vol.11/405 of 5/12/2024. Informed consent was obtained from the participants before they participated in the research.

Respondent confidentiality was maintained at all times to avoid bias.

Research tool

The research tool used was a semi-structured questionnaire, which was developed and validated before being used to obtain data.

Data analysis

Upon retrieval, the questionnaires were meticulously organized and scrutinized to ensure their overall quality and precision before the data analysis process. Data analysis was conducted employing Version 27.0 of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The initial step was the generation of frequency distributions to elucidate the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents. Subsequently, a Chi-square analysis was executed to assess potential associations between variables, with statistical significance denoted by a p - value of less than 0.05.

Demographic results (Table 1)

Awareness and use of cannabisfrequency and patterns of cannabis use amongst students (Table 2)

Frequency and patterns of cannabis use amongst students (Table 3)

Motivation, influence, and drivers for cannabis use (Table 4)

Correlation between use of cannabis and demographics (Table 5)

The study examined cannabis use among university students, focusing on demographic factors, usage patterns, and motivations. The majority of participants (95%) were aged between 18 - 25 years, with a mean age of 21.1 years, aligning with similar studies on university students, according to [2], who reported a mean age of 20.8 years among students in Ghana. A small proportion (4%) were under 18, likely due to early admission, while 1.1% were above 25, possibly due to delayed education.

Gender distribution showed a higher proportion of males (65.5%) than females (34.5%), consistent with enrolment trends in Nigeria. This pattern aligns with work done by [3] who found a similar male-to-female ratio of 63:37 in Nigerian universities. In contrast, Western studies, such as [4], reported higher female enrolment.

Regarding academic years, the highest concentrations were in the 400-level (34%) and 500-level (29.4%), suggesting that retention rates increase as students’ progress. Faculty representation showed Engineering (38.5%) had the highest enrolment, followed by Health Sciences (26.8%), Arts (23.6%), and Pharmaceutical Sciences (11.1%). Engineering’s dominance is consistent with [5], who found similar enrolment patterns in Nigeria. The lower representation of Pharmaceutical Sciences students may be due to stringent admission criteria.

Cannabis awareness was universal (100%), while 56.2% reported usage higher than the global average of 13.5% [6]. This aligns with studies by [7], who reported a 52% prevalence in South-South Nigeria, and [8], who found a 45% prevalence in Lagos. The higher prevalence in this study may be due to peer pressure, accessibility, and cultural normalization [9].

The most common cannabis variants were weed (31.9%), followed by Loud (17.8%), Igbo (16.4%), and Kush (14.1%), reflecting trends noted by [10].

Among cannabis users, 41.8% reported occasional use, 24.4% used regularly, and 15.5% rarely used. The majority (42.3%) consumed cannabis during special occasions, aligning with [11,12], who found that cannabis is often used socially or during celebrations.

Regarding social impacts, 56.3% reported no adverse effects on relationships, while 11.7% acknowledged issues like reduced communication and loss of friendships. This aligns with [12], who found that habitual use could strain relationships. Conversely, 4% reported increased self-confidence, suggesting cannabis as a coping mechanism for anxiety.

Social participation varied, with 53.5% reporting no effect, consistent with [5], where over half of users noted a neutral impact. However, 41.8% experienced reduced engagement, possibly due to stigma or psychoactive effects like paranoia. [13] similarly found that regular users often withdrew from group activities. A small subset (2.8%) experienced increased sociability, aligning with [9], who suggested that cannabis temporarily boosts social interaction.

Stigma was reported by 20.2% of users, similar to [8], who found a 22% stigma rate among Nigerian undergraduates. However, 79.8% of participants reported no stigma, indicating growing acceptance, particularly in urban settings [7].

The most common motivator for cannabis use was emotional distress (38.0%), with students using cannabis to cope with stress and depression, as noted by [7]. Peer influence (17.0%) and recreational use (17.8%) were also significant drivers. Notably, curiosity played a minor role in this study, differing from [9], where curiosity was a key factor among younger users.

Social influence varied, with 42.2% reporting no external pressure, while 29.4% felt slightly influenced and 19.9% moderately influenced by peers. Only 8.5% described strong peer influence, contrasting with [5], who found peer pressure more significant in some student groups.

Media influence was notable, with 35.8% acknowledging its role in shaping attitudes toward cannabis, supporting findings by [12,14], who noted the glamorization of drug use in media.

Health effects were minimal, with 100% of users reporting no major physical or mental health concerns, contradicting studies linking cannabis use to mental disorders [15]. While 84% reported no physical effects, 9.4% experienced fatigue or respiratory issues, and 18.3% reported mental health effects like stress and paranoia. Increased appetite (58.7%) and disrupted sleep (25.8%) were common, consistent with the work done by [13].

The primary sources of cannabis information were peer groups (44.8%) and social media (41.4%), with academic sources contributing only 13.3%, indicating a gap in formal education [10].

Cannabis use was highest among the 18 - 25 age group (58.3%), aligning with global trends [9]. The 26–35 age group showed no reported usage, suggesting a decline as individuals mature, consistent with [13].

Gender differences were significant, with higher cannabis use among females (68.5%) than males (50.2%), divergent from traditional studies, where males typically use more cannabis. This shift aligns with [16], who observed narrowing gender disparities in urban Nigerian settings. Changing societal norms and peer influence may contribute to this trend [13].

The study found no significant relationship between year of study and cannabis use, contrasting with [5], who reported higher use among final-year students. This discrepancy may be due to sample differences or contextual factors, such as social and academic pressures.

These findings suggest the need for targeted public health interventions, such as gender-specific campaigns and faculty-based educational programs on the risks of cannabis use among undergraduate students. Compared to other Nigerian studies, this study found a higher prevalence of cannabis use among females and engineering students, which calls for tailored prevention strategies in those groups. Further research with a larger sample size is needed to better understand these patterns.

This study provides valuable insights into the use, trends, and prevalence of Cannabis use among students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University. The findings reveal an alarming prevalence of Cannabis use, driven primarily by the media blitz on cannabis use, peer pressure, building confidence, and emotional struggles. The study also revealed higher cannabis use among females than males, which is a direct effect of narrowing gender disparity in society.

The consequences of Cannabis use, which span academic, social, and health domains, emphasize the urgent need for targeted interventions. These include awareness campaigns, peer education initiatives, and improved access to mental health services to address the root causes of substance abuse. Suffice it to say that enforcing stricter policies and measures to limit the availability of Cannabis on campus is vital. Overall, a holistic approach, focusing on prevention, intervention, and support systems, is essential for creating a safer and healthier university environment.

Supplementary Materials"

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