Sunyani (B/R),– Mr Abdul Aziz Saeed, the Bono Regional Director of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACO) has expressed concern about rising Indian hemp smoking and peddling among teenagers in the region, including children.
He said the situation was disturbing, and called for concerted efforts to help control drug peddling and abuse in the region.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani on Wednesday, Mr Saeed cautioned unsuspecting young people to be wary of bad peers, who could lace Indian hemp with drinks for them to take in the Christmas festivities.
He said alcoholism, drug abuse and peddling would ruin the future of the youth, saying “don’t follow bad peers to take abusive substances in the yuletide”.
“During this time of the year many of your friends would invite you to parties. When you go, don’t allow the drinks to attract you because you don’t know what they exactly contain”, he said.
Mr Saeed said the situation was worrying, saying Indian hemp abuse had taken another trend from smoking to lacing the substance with shito, toffees and local gin.
He said Bono placed higher among four regions in a survey conducted on drug abuse in 2020.
The survey was conducted in rehabilitation centers in Greater Accra, Ashanti, Central and Bono Regions where about 86.4 percent of inmates were between 15 and 44 years.
Mr Saeed said the use of Indian hemp was still outlawed in the country, and warned that offenders would be prosecuted accordingly.
Source: Ghana News Agency
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