Dealing with drug abuse among youth… PCG calls for renewed, collaborative intervention to curb menace

The Presbyterian Church of Ghana has raised alarm over the spate of drug abuse among the youth, describing the situation as a ‘ticking time bomb’ that requires immediate and collaborative intervention. 

It said the infiltration of drugs into educational institutions was becoming increasingly alarming, with reports of drug peddling at the basic, secondary and tertiary levels which threatens the future of students.

The church gave the caution in a communiqué issued at its just ended 26^th General Assembly held at Abetifi-Kwahu in the Eastern region.

The assembly, which is the highest decision-making body of the Church, was held on the theme: ‘Celebrating our heritage: Building on the foundation already laid.’

It had in attendance commissioners and representatives from all presbyteries and courts of the church, government officials, ecumenical partner churches, among other dignitaries.

According to the Church, the substance abuse crises was dire in informal settlements across the country with the misuse of marijuana, the street drug known as ‘kush’, as well as substances such as ‘Red’, which it identified as containing Tapentadol and Carisoprodol, and Tramadol, wasting away many young people.

It said although the Ghana Blue Cross, a substance abuse focused non-profit organisation within the PCG, had been involved in efforts to combat the menace for more than 120 years, it indicated that the changing nature and persistence of the phenomenon called for renewed and decisive action.

The PCG urged that the threat is not treated just as a social or health concern but as a matter of national security, given its potential impact on the country’s young population and future workforce.

It called for strict monitoring of the cultivation and processing of therapeutic cannabis and industrial hemp permitted in Ghana for medicinal purposes, cautioning that the initiative should not be allowed to create another avenue for the proliferation of illicit drugs.

Moreover, it urged the Ghana Police Service, religious organisations and other civic stakeholders to strengthen collaboration and establish a unified stand against the growing drug menace to particularly protect young people.

By Abigail Annoh