Background: Substance use among young people is an important public health concern because it may affect health, education, employment, relationships, and community wellbeing. Early initiation is associated with greater risk of later substance-related problems. Objective: To describe reported factors associated with drug and substance use among youths in Abule-Oja, Lagos, Nigeria, and to describe selected social, legal, and health-related effects reported by participants. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted in Abule-Oja between February and April 2023. Of 234 individuals who participated in the initial study process, 120 reported no drug/substance use and were therefore not included in the analysis. The final analytical sample comprised 114 respondents who reported drug/substance use. Participants were aged 15-35 years. Data were collected using the same structured self-administered questionnaire in electronic and paper formats. Some participants completed the questionnaire individually, while others completed it in small groups of approximately three to five participants. Responses were collated and reviewed for eligibility, completeness, and validity. Descriptive statistics were used. Results: Among 114 respondents, 74 (64.9%) were male, and 40 (35.1%) were female. The largest age group was 25-29 years (33.3%), and 47.4% were university students. Fifty-two percent reported initiating drug use between 15 and 24 years. Friends were the most frequently reported factor associated with drug use (47.4%), followed by poverty (11.4%) and depression (9.6%). Tramadol was the most frequently reported substance category (36.0%), followed by cannabis (29.8%) and alcohol (13.2%). A total of 61.4% reported use of more than one drug, 84.2% reported that substances were sold close to where they lived, and 88.6% reported that drug use was common in their community. Conclusion: Peer influence, socioeconomic circumstances, emotional factors, family exposure, and perceived community availability were commonly reported in this study. The findings support prevention, early identification, health education, and access to appropriate support services. Because the study was cross-sectional and descriptive, the reported relationships should not be interpreted as causal.

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