Drug Use Among Nigerian Prison Inmates Was Lower Than Western Countries but Showed Concerning Patterns | Research

The takeaway

Among Nigerian prisoners, 7% currently used cannabis with 71% of users classified as heavy users, and cannabis use was associated with prior criminal history more than other substances.

Read this if you're interested in substance use patterns in non-Western prison settings.

71% of prison cannabis users were classified as heavy users; use barely decreased during imprisonment

What the researchers found

All inmates of a Nigerian medium-security prison who consented were interviewed about substance use before and during imprisonment.

Current use rates were: tobacco (13.7%), hypnosedatives (11.4%), alcohol (10.7%), stimulants (9.6%), cannabis (7%), and smaller percentages for opioids, inhalants, cocaine, and heroin. Notably, these rates were only slightly lower than pre-imprisonment rates for most substances, indicating continued access within prison.

Among current cannabis users, 71.4% were classified as "heavy users," the highest heavy-use proportion of any substance. Cannabis use was specifically associated with previous arrests for drug offenses, previous imprisonment, and being held for a major offense, suggesting a link between cannabis use and criminality patterns.

An unexpected finding was the emergence of pethidine/morphine use (2.3%), suggesting injecting drug use may be developing among Nigerian prisoners.

Why it matters

This study provided data from a non-Western setting where substance use patterns differ from those typically studied. The finding that drug use rates barely decreased during imprisonment highlighted the need for drug prevention programs within the Nigerian criminal justice system.

The numbers in context

Current use rates: tobacco 13.7%, hypnosedatives 11.4%, alcohol 10.7%, stimulants 9.6%, cannabis 7%. Cannabis heavy use: 71.4%. Pethidine/morphine: 2.3% (emerging). Rates similar to pre-imprisonment.

How the study worked

Cross-sectional survey of all consenting inmates at Ilesa medium-security prison, Nigeria. Structured interviews covered sociodemographic information, substance use history before and during imprisonment, and imprisonment-related factors.

What this study cannot tell us

Single prison in one Nigerian city may not represent national patterns. Self-reported drug use in prison may be underreported due to consequences. The cross-sectional design cannot establish causal relationships. Small numbers for some substances limit analysis.

How to read the evidence

This is a single-site cross-sectional survey with limited generalizability, providing preliminary evidence about substance use patterns in this specific prison setting.

When this study was published

Published in 2009. Substance use patterns in Nigerian prisons and the broader African context have continued to evolve.

The bigger picture

While drug use rates were lower than Western prison populations, the patterns were concerning: continued access to substances during imprisonment, high rates of heavy use among cannabis users, and emerging injection drug use.

Questions still open

What explains the specific association between cannabis use and criminal history? Would prison-based drug treatment programs reduce both substance use and recidivism in Nigeria?

Common questions

Why was cannabis uniquely linked to criminal history?

Cannabis use was associated with prior arrests, previous imprisonment, and major offenses more than other substances. This could reflect cannabis's legal status, the social context of use, or its association with specific criminal networks in Nigeria.

How do these rates compare to Western prisons?

The overall rates were lower than typically reported in Western countries, but the patterns (continued access during imprisonment, high rates of heavy use) were similar, suggesting shared challenges across very different criminal justice systems.

Read the original research

Factors associated with psychoactive substance use among a sample of prison inmates in Ilesa, Nigeria.

The Nigerian postgraduate medical journal, 16(2), 109-14

View on PubMed ↗

Citation

Amdzaranda, P A; Fatoye, F O; Oyebanji, A O; Ogunro, A S; Fatoye, G K. (2009). Factors associated with psychoactive substance use among a sample of prison inmates in Ilesa, Nigeria.. The Nigerian postgraduate medical journal, 16(2), 109-14.