Sunyani: Abstain from drugs, treatment of drug addiction expensive — NaCoC caution youth

Mr Yaw Amankwah Bonsu, the Deputy Regional Commander for the Bono Regional Narcotics Control Commission (NaCoC) has cautioned the youth to abstain from drug use.

He noted that treatment of drug addiction (substance use disorders) was expensive.

He said the life of most drug users had not ended well, saying it was either they die early or their life messed up.

Mr Bonsu gave the caution in an interview with the media in Sunyani as part of measures the Commission had taken in the region to mitigate drug abuse and warned the youth to stay away from drugs because it was not going to help them.

"How many drug addicts can afford rehabilitation treatment and the centres in Ghana are not open where one could walk in because they are ‘substance use disorders to be treated and cared for," he stated.

Mr Bonsu noted that in the region, cannabis was the most abused drug, especially among the youth, saying the commission also records some cases of cracked cocaine and heroin, while some youth take higher doses of 100, 150, 200 milligrams of tramadol, which he described was a concern the commission was dealing with.

He indicated that the approach to enforcement of narcotic trade and trafficking had not abetted over the years, saying the Narcotic Control Commission Act, 2020 (Act 1019) sees drugs as a health issue and therefore the Commission was drifting from the enforcement and giving recognition to the health aspect.

Speaking about the theme for this year’s World Drugs Day celebration, “People First: Stop Stigma and Discrimination, Strengthen Prevention”, Mr Bonsu noted that society turns to isolate persons who were perceived as drug addicts, saying due to such behavior, they were not able to get close to people to be shown love and get the help they require to enable them heal.

He said the Commission was looking at sensitising the public against stigmatization and discrimination, saying the addicts needed attention, care and love so that they could also come out of the situation they find themselves.