The growing abuse of drugs among young people is a national concern that demands more than speeches, conferences and occasional enforcement exercises.
It requires a sustained response from government, families, schools, communities and, importantly, the young people themselves.
The Minister of Youth Development and Empowerment, Mr George Opare Addo, yesterday described available data on substance use among young people as “scary”. That warning should make every Ghanaian sit up.
The danger goes beyond the individual drug user. Substance abuse can destroy families, undermine education and employment prospects, fuel crime and weaken the productive capacity of a generation on which Ghana’s future depends.
It is, therefore, encouraging that the government is recognising the problem and seeking to strengthen education, advocacy and other interventions.
The involvement of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) in the National Youth Forum is also important.
However, the scale of the challenge requires a much broader response.
The Director-General of NACOC, Major General Maxwell Obuba Mantey, rightly cautioned young people against experimenting with illicit drugs.
His warning that experimentation can lead to addiction and ultimately destroy the lives and aspirations of young people should not be ignored.
At the same time, the country must avoid treating every person struggling with substance abuse simply as a criminal.
Those battling addiction need access to professional treatment, counselling and rehabilitation. Seeking help should not be a source of shame.
Government must, therefore, move beyond prevention and enforcement to invest adequately in treatment and rehabilitation services. Young people who have fallen into addiction must have somewhere safe and affordable to turn to before their condition worsens.
Schools also have an important role to play. Drug education should go beyond occasional talks.
Students need practical information about the consequences of substance abuse and access to trusted counsellors who can identify early signs of distress and risky behaviour.
Communities must also become more vigilant. The sale and distribution of illicit drugs, particularly around schools and areas frequented by young people, must be tackled firmly. Law enforcement agencies must pursue traffickers and dealers while ensuring that enforcement is fair and consistent.
There is another side to the problem that deserves equal attention: opportunity.
Young people who have access to decent education, useful skills, employment and meaningful recreational activities are better positioned to build productive lives.
Government’s efforts to expand skills development, entrepreneurship and employment opportunities must, therefore, form part of the broader fight against drug abuse.
The youth themselves must also take responsibility. Peer pressure can be powerful, but young people can equally become advocates against drug abuse. They should speak openly about the dangers, support friends who need help and refuse to normalise drug use.
The fight cannot be left to NACOC or the Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment alone.
Government must provide the resources and policies; families must provide guidance; schools and communities must provide support; law enforcement must deal firmly with traffickers; and the youth must become active partners.
The Ghanaian Times therefore calls for a sustained national campaign against youth drug abuse, backed by prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, enforcement and meaningful opportunities for young people.
Ghana cannot afford to lose its youth to drugs. Every young person saved from addiction is a future worker, entrepreneur, professional, parent and community leader preserved for the nation.
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