The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) is calling for stronger prevention, education and rehabilitation efforts to address the growing challenge of substance use in Ghana.
The Director-General of NACOC, Major General Maxwell Obuba Mantey, said tackling drug use requires more than enforcement, with families, schools, communities, and state institutions all having a role to play in prevention and early intervention.
Speaking at the International Youth Day celebration at KNUST, Major General Mantey said 1,179 people received treatment for substance use disorders in 2025 through 30 treatment centres across the country.
He said the figure highlights the need to strengthen the support systems available to people struggling with substance use.
According to him, 88.5% of those who received treatment were between 20 and 44 years old, pointing to the significant impact of substance use on people in their productive years.
Major General Mantey also drew attention to the growing misuse of opioids in some communities, describing the situation as a concern that requires urgent and coordinated action.
“Those figures should make us pause and think about how deeply opioid use and misuse have penetrated some of our communities,” he said.
He stressed that prevention must begin early, with young people receiving accurate information about the dangers of drug use before they develop substance use disorders.
He called for stronger collaboration among families, schools, communities, and relevant state agencies to educate young people, identify those at risk and ensure they receive appropriate support.
Major General Mantey also advocated a balanced approach that combines law enforcement with prevention, public education, treatment, and rehabilitation.
His comments formed part of activities marking International Youth Day and come amid growing concerns about substance use and its impact on Ghana’s young population and workforce.
Most drug addicts in Ghana started before age 15 – NACOC Director
The Director-General of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), Major General Maxwell Obuba Mantey, says most drug addicts in Ghana started at a young age.
According to him, a 2025 study by the University of Ghana School of Public Health found that 10% of people who use drugs started before the age of 15, while 54% began before turning 19.
Speaking at the International Youth Day celebration at KNUST, Major General Mantey said the figures highlight the extent to which drug use, particularly opioid misuse, has penetrated some communities and exposed young people to its harmful effects at an early age.
“Those figures should make us pause and think about how deeply opioid use and misuse have penetrated some of our communities,” he said.
According to him, there should be stronger preventive measures, public education and support systems to address drug use among young people.
The NACOC Director-General stressed the need for greater attention to prevention, arguing that interventions must begin early enough to protect children and adolescents from developing substance use disorders.
He said families, schools, communities, and relevant state institutions all have a role to play in educating young people about the dangers associated with drug use and ensuring that those at risk receive the necessary support.
Major General Obuba also disclosed that 1,179 people received treatment for substance use disorders in 2025 through 30 treatment centres across the country.
He noted that 88.5% of those who received treatment were between 20 and 44 years old, highlighting the significant burden of substance use among people in their productive years.
The figures, he said, reinforce the need for Ghana to combine enforcement measures with prevention, education, treatment, and rehabilitation to tackle the drug-use problem effectively.
Source: Adomonline,com
