1. CONSEQUENCES OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE ON THE LIFE OF TEENAGERS IN RURAL VHEMBE DISTRICT OF LIMPOPO PROVINCE, SOUTH AFRICA. BY  N.J. Ramakuela Department of Advanced Nursing Science Univeristy of Venda, South Africa

2. Introduction
Substance abuse is a global health and social problem that leads to impaired functioning in social and interpersonal spheres of life and can have severe withdrawal symptoms. The abuse of substances can cause mental disorientation and a lack of alertness (Hoberg, 2001). Affect everyone irrespective of age, social status, race or creed. Abuse of substances affects a person’s concentration, reasoning and productivity and young people who are still at school, poorly progress with their academic development resulting in possible failure (Van Heerden, 2005).

3. Data suggest that substance abuse often starts between the ages of 14 and 15 years. In South Africa, alcohol and drug abuse were highlighted by former president of South Africa in his opening address to parliament in 1994, as a social pathology that needed attention (Ramlagan, Peltzer & Matseke, 2010). Use of alcohol and cigarettes is not legal for adolescents in South Africa, and therefore exposes them to potential problems with the law, at school, or with their families. Substance use in children and adolescents has been linked to other serious behavioral problems, such as truancy, school drop-out, delinquent activities, and precocious sexual activities (Visser & Routledge, 2007).    

4. Problem Statement There has been an increase in the number of cases reported by mothers to the Department of Social Development in rural Vhembe District of Limpopo Province, South Africa about substance abuse by teenagers and high levels of pregnancy resulting from substance abuse. The report indicate that these children at Tshisaulu village do not attend school regularly and repeat grades due to substance abuse. Furthermore these children are said to be going out from home during the night and sometimes spend days not coming home with nobody knowing their whereabouts.   Mothers complained about the uncontrollable behavior of their children. Children no longer respect parents. There are seven liquor stores and illegal shebeens in Tshisaulu village and alcohol is the main substance which is being used by teenagers in this village. Parents are overwhelmed by it and the problems emanating from the behavior of the affected children.  

5. Aim of the study To explore consequences of substance abuse on the life of teenagers in rural Vhembe District of Limpopo Province, South Africa. Research methodology Study designs The study was qualitative in nature, explorative and contextual designs were used. Population and sampling The population consisted of 11 mothers raising teenagers from the age of 13 to 19 years who abused substances such as alcohol, tobacco and other substances. The study adopted non-probability convenience sampling to select participants. The semi-structured interview using snow-bawling technique were used to gather data from participants. Telephonic appointments were made with the participants prior to conducting the study.    

6. Data Collection Data was collected by the researcher at the participants’ homes at the time conducive for the participants. Each interview lasted for about 30 to 45 minutes and lasted for a week. A tape recorder and field notes were used to record information gathered from the participants. The study involved Vhavenda speaking participants and interviews were thus conducted in Tshivenda. Tesch’s model of data analysis in (Creswell, 2011) was used.

7. Ethical considerations and measures to ensure trustworthiness were observed Results and discussions Theme: Consequences of substance abuse on the life of teenagers  From this theme, five sub-themes emerged as follows:   Sub-theme 1: Effects of substance abuse on child’s behaviour   It was reported that children do not respect their teachers and other elderly people in the schools, within the families and communities. This was confirmed by a participant who reported: “I am always called at school because of his bad behaviour. He no longer respect his teachers. I was told by the teachers that he smokes during school break in the toilet.”

8. Another parent with the same experience said: “My child has been expelled from other school and went to another school due to his bad behaviour at school. I was even called at the current school where he was involved in fighting where one of the school children was stabbed by the knife”. After probing, she said: “I was called at school two times by his bad behaviour. The last time I was called he was playing cards inside the class and they had bat. He uses pocket money to play cards and I give him R10 a day. The school principal said that if they catch him again they are going to expel him.” Such students tend to dropout because of their anti-social and rebellious behaviour. Some of them later become thieves, commit crimes and get arrested and are sometimes sentenced to long jails terms. This exposes them to the danger of infectious diseases such as STI’s, HIV/AIDS as they often engage in unprotected sex and girls may have unwanted pregnancies or abortions. Teenagers become insecure, tend to be rebellious and often display antisocial, delinquent behaviour (Gouws, Kruger & Burger, 2000). Substance abuse often lead to involvement in crime and other antisocial activities, impairment of academic and occupational performance, as well as increased risk of suicide, accidents, contagious diseases and psychological distress (Ladikos, Prinsloo & Neser, 2003).

9. Sub-theme 2: Existence of negative mother-to-child relationship Below are some of the participants’ comments:   One parent said: This child no longer respect me as a parent and when I talk to her she answer me in a bad way where I feel that I am no longer anything to her. I was once called at school where they told me that she sometimes not attend some subjects. It was reported that she sit in the toilet with friends”. After probing she continued: “I tried to talk to her but I am not sure whether she has changed but they have since not called me again.”   Another parent said: ……“She no longer has morals. Previously she used to greet people in a traditional way but now she no longer do that. When she is under the influence of alcohol she does not talk at all”.

10. It was revealed that teenagers who abuse substances no longer respect their parents and parents feel disrespected. They no longer have morals and no longer talk to people properly when under the influence of substances. Substance abuse puts a burden on the well-being of individuals and their families. Most of the problems surrounding adolescent substance abuse have an impact on family members, particularly parents. The presence of a drug-abusing relative in the family affects its functioning, and may lead to high levels of stress and trauma, placing family members at risk of increased medical problems and healthcare utilization. Short term effects on family members include increased stress and feeling lonely, isolated, tired and worried (Hoeck & Hal, 2012).  

11. Sub-theme 3: Negative effects on educational activities observed   Most participants in this study indicated that children no longer attend school classes regularly. They are caught smoking during class time in the toilets and their school performance has dropped. These were confirmed by a participant who said: “She no longer read school books, she wake up late and sometimes she does not go to school and when I try to ask she tells me there is no school when she is lying. She is failing and she is still in grade 8.”   Another parent said: “My child does not go to school regularly. Sometime he leaves home as if he is going to school but never goes to school. When I try to ask him why you are not going to school he does not answer me. He does not have morals even at school”. After some probing she also said: “They do call me at school saying he was not at school for two days. He is uncontrollable at school.”   Another parent said: “He is no longer performing school work well based on March and June school report. He never failed mid-year examination since he went to secondary school but his performance is deteriorating. Substance abuse is affecting his future because he no longer read school books.”

12. This study reveals that teenagers who abuse substances do not perform well at school. It was also revealed that many of these teenagers repeat grades.
Without proper strategies in place, such teens might repeatedly fail the same class, drop out and be more troublesome at their homes and communities.
Van Heerden (2005) indicated that young people who are involved in substance abuse do not attend to their academic development, resulting in possible failure because these adolescents lack clear guidelines.

13. Sub-theme 4: Behavioural changes observed in children abusing substances
Participants stated that their teenagers display different characteristics and personalities under the influence of substance abuse. It was observed that when outside with their friends, they are ill-behaved and when at home they pretend to be well-behaved.
This was confirmed by participants who said: “As a child she has different types of characters, when she is at home she act like she is innocent, at church you see her as a child of God but when she is at school she is totally a different person”.
Another parent said: “It is affecting his life because at home he pretends as if he is a quiet good child and when he is with his friend his character changes to someone troublesome. Then outside he pleases friends by drinking alcohol and smoking.

14. Parents revealed that substance abuse is changing teenagers’ characters. Parents pointed out that teenagers display two personalities. When they are at home they act as if they are good respectful children, but when they are outside they do what their peers are doing.
Parents revealed that substance abuse is changing teenagers’ characters. Parents pointed out that teenagers display two personalities. When they are at home they act as if they are good respectful children, but when they are outside they do what their peers are doing. Peer pressure influenced their behaviours.
Bezuidenhout (2004) revealed that teenagers can be influenced by their friends to use alcohol. They want to do what everyone else is doing in order to feel accepted. It is more a process of social influence and encouragement. Peer groups act as subgroups, providing an opportunity that manifest behaviour that is not controlled by the external environment. The use of substances and their availability in such groups will result in the new members experimenting with substances or being initiated into the use of substances by other users (Van Heerden, 2005).

15. Sub-theme 5: Effects of child’s substance abuse on parents
The study revealed that once teenagers start engaging themselves in substance abuse, they no longer respect their parents. Parents in this study explained that teenage substance abuse is hurting them.
This is exemplified by one parent who said: “It is difficult for me and I am not coping with this situation. Sometimes I think of committing suicide”.
Another one said: “This had affected me in such a way that I am diagnosed with high blood pressure and heart condition. The clinic nurse indicated that my blood pressure is not going down because I am forever stressed”.

16. Parents in this study were negatively affected by their children’s substance abuse. Parents were not coping with the involvement of their children in substance abuse. Some parents got sick whilst, others felt ending their lives was better off than watching their children abuse substances. If these parents carried through their threat this would mean orphaned children who could become delinquents, street kids and lack morals due to lack of discipline and guidance.
Sims (2006) states that parents have always had the challenge of finding a balance between encouraging their children to freely explore life and giving them adequate protection from the harms of life.

17. Limitation
The study was conducted in one village only and could not be generalised to the whole of Limpopo Province.
The consequences reported in this study were mainly from a limited number of participants and not necessarily of the whole teenagers who abuse substances.

18. Conclusion and Recommendations  
 The study findings revealed that teenagers lacked respect to their teachers and other elderly people within the family and community. They displayed uncontrollable behaviours as parents failed to provide discipline and guidance hence lacked morals. They no longer attended classes regularly and were expelled from school because they were caught smoking during class time in the toilets Substance abuse by teenagers affected mother to child relationships as children no longer obey their parents or pretend to be good children when at home in actual facts they were troublesome when with friends outside by using substance such as alcohol, dagga and cigarettes.
The study recommended that parents need to restrict teen’s pocket money and use appropriate corporal punishment.
The Limpopo Department of Social Development need to open rehabilitation centres in all five districts where teenagers addicted to substances can be sent.
The Department of Education should also provide training to the school principals and teachers to empower them on skills to deal with the abuse of substances by learners in school.

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