Abstract
The study examined peer influence and moral behaviour as correlates of drug abuse among senior secondary school students in Bauchi South Local Government Area, Bauchi State, Nigeria. A descriptive correlational research design was adopted. The population comprised 10,280 SS II students, from which a sample of 384 respondents was selected using a multistage sampling procedure. Data were collected using the researcher-developed Peer Influence, Moral Behaviour and Drug Abuse Questionnaire (PIMBDAQ) with an overall Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient of 0.85. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed a significant positive relationship between peer influence and drug abuse (r = .58, p < .05), a significant negative relationship between moral behaviour and drug abuse (r = –.56, p < .05), and a significant negative relationship between peer influence and moral behaviour (r = –.49, p < .05). The study concluded that peer influence increases adolescents' susceptibility to drug abuse, whereas moral behaviour serves as a protective factor. It was recommended that schools strengthen peer education, counselling services, moral education, and lifeskills programmes to reduce drug abuse among students.