The Influence of Social Media on Illicit Drug Sale and Use among Undergraduates in Lagos, Nigeria

Illicit drug use is a persistent health problem among Nigerian youths. Social media platforms currently facilitate online illicit drug markets in the sub-Saharan Africa state. The current qualitative study investigates the influence of social media platforms on the sale and use of illicit drugs among undergraduates in selected tertiary institutions in Lagos State, Nigeria. Thirty undergraduate students completed semi-structured interviews sharing their experiences with purchasing illicit drugs through social media platforms. Researchers analysed data using thematic content analysis. Participants mean age was 26.33 years (SD=5.13). Findings show that online drug accessibility is technical but easy with links from friends. The process is organized with the aid of online commerce. The commonly used social media networks were Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and WhatsApp, while delivery is done with motorcycles, bicycles, and walking across the street without law enforcement agents being able to track them. However, there exist the possibility of victimisation both from vendors and platform administrators, because of the illegality. How social media owners and youth stakeholders will control these channels to impede criminal activities remains a challenge.