The prevalence of drug abuse among adolescents continues to rise globally, with significant implications for educational outcomes and public health. This study examined the influence of gender and entertainment media exposure on drug abuse tendencies among secondary school students in Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District, Nigeria. Using an ex-post facto research design, data were collected from 1,006 Senior Secondary Two students selected through multi-stage sampling from 28 public secondary schools. The Socio-Familial Variables and Drug Abuse Tendencies of Students Questionnaire (SFVDATSQ) was employed, with a reliability coefficient of 0.809. Data were analysed using independent t-test. Results revealed that male students exhibited significantly higher drug abuse tendencies (Mean = 75.42, SD = 3.50) compared to female students (Mean = 65.39, SD = 2.03; t = 11.21, p < 0.05). Similarly, students with high exposure to entertainment media containing substance use content exhibited significantly higher drug abuse tendencies (Mean = 57.99, SD = 4.61) compared to those with low exposure (Mean = 52.81, SD = 5.16; t = 13.32, p < 0.05). The study concludes that gender and entertainment media exposure significantly predict drug abuse tendencies among adolescents. It is recommended that gender-sensitive prevention programmes be developed and that media literacy education be incorporated into school curricula.