The head of the tobacco and substance abuse department of the Food and Drugs board Authority, Dr. Olivia Boateng has opened up about research conducted by the consultative committee which was set up by the president.
According to Dr. Olivia, the committee is responsible for the combat of drug menace in the country; reports of the research were submitted by Bright Appiah, the Chairman of the Committee to Ambrose Dery.
The research which was conducted in Junior and Senior High schools showed that more than half (59.9 percent) of boys use cigarettes while 54.1 percent use cannabis and 36 percent use alcohol.
The report also revealed that 72.7 percent use pain relievers, while 34.3 percent use shisha and 32.1 percent use alcohol.
With this alarming revelation, Dr. Olivia educated the public about the effects of abusive drug intake by the students.
Speaking in an interview with Abena Opokua Ahwenee on Dadi 101.1 FM, she stated some reasons why the students resolve to the use of drugs in schools.
“A lot of these students take drugs to relieve stress, they believe the drugs help to calm down their nerves and some of the ladies also abuse pain killers due to relieve menstrual pains and the discomfort it comes with it, some also take the drugs due to hunger and for some too for academic performance”, she stated.
She went on to say that, in as much as these students have reasons for abusing drugs, this practice is very detrimental to their health and can cause damage to them.
She revealed that per the research, it was seen that the students who take the drugs are well aware of the effects and dangers the drugs can cause them yet they continue to take it in.
“While we were conducting the research, we realized that the students are well informed about the dangers associating with the use of drugs but they still take it in. we asked them and they told us they know the use of drugs can affect their mental health and even cause them to drop out of school”.
She suggested ways by which social institutions, schools, churches, and the government can implement some policies and measures to guide the students so they can gradually refrain from the act.
“We have to find ways by which the students won’t rush to drugs to curb hunger, we need to provide food for the students, we need to set up counseling committees that the students can trust and run to, these are some of the recommendations.
Source: Mybrytfmonline/Gladys Amoah Konadu
