By Bright Owusu
The abuse of substances such as wee, wee toffee, glue and D10 are alarming among the youth, according to authorities.
Their concern is that it must be checked to avoid addiction, premature deaths, criminalities, road accidents and the likes.
It is in view of this that the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), Koforidua partnered with Ghana Education Service (GES), the Assemblies and Corporate Organisations in the region to embark on Drug Sensitization Programs in the Eastern Region.
The project named CHOICES, has taken the NACOC to Institutions such as the MTN, Driver and Vehicles Licensing Authority (DVLA) and Zenith Bank Ghana Limited.
Beneficiary Senior High Schools under the project CHOICES, are Pope Johns, Ghana National, S.D.A SS, Oyoko Memorial and Koforidua Technical Institute.
Churches and Hospitals within Koforidua also benefited from the project.
Information gathered after the Sensitization pointed to the need to sustain the efforts. In line with this, the Narcotics Control Commission in the Eastern Region has decided that in 2022, it would roll out Drug Awareness Clubs for School and Out of School Youth.
With the goal to nurture children of school going age to live their lives devoid of drug abuse and misuse.
Officials of NACOC, in the Eastern Region say, “the fight against drugs cannot be a one-man fight, parents also matter in this fight hence the need for parents to give their support to this course’’.