A psychiatric specialist at the Eastern Regional Hospital, Dr. Gyanwa Opare-Addo has revealed that wee otherwise known as Marijuana leads among other narcotic substances usage in the Region.
The revelation was made during a KABAKA Foundation student-based narcotics sensitization campaign for students in St. Peter’s Senior High School in Nkwatia-Kwahu in the Eastern Region on Wednesday, October 1.
The initiative was aimed at preparing the minds of the young students to abstain from the usage and abuse of narcotic substances. The students were taken-through vigorous education on the implications, excesses and setbacks on the use of drugs.
The Executive Director for KABAKA foundation, Dr. Henry Larbi in an interview with the media, underscored the need to hold such forum to create awareness on the dangers of narcotics substance, especially for school-going youth in the country.
He indicated that, the initiative forms part of this year’s celebration of World Peace Day. He added that , this is in line with the Foundation’s commitment to ensuring world-free narcotics.
“This program is line with what we started on Tuesday at the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council, where we had the International Peace Day for 2025. The main idea is that we want to make sure the youth stays away from drugs because substance abuse can influence violence and when violence happens, peace is disturbed. This year’s campaign is to make sure that we talk about drug abuse and how best we can support those who are in it and to also prevent people from engaging in drugs”, he stated.
“Our foundation recently cut sod for the construction of a mental health unit at the Eastern Regional hospital in Koforidua. All these are parts of our broader vision for ensuring people abstain from drugs. The foundation is also making sure that they have the theoretical and practical aspect to prevent them from using drugs and this is the first school we are starting with in the Eastern Region but we’re looking at targeting, basically, all schools in the region,” Dr. Larbi added.
Dr. Gyanwa Opare Addo took the students through education, sensitization and highlighted drug abuse effects on humans and how to prevent and support those engaged or yet to engage in it.
“It’s never too late for such people. We have lots of support for them. We have support-group systems in our various communities, churches and other places where we meet to educate people on drugs. They can also come to us for counseling, the country also has health centers scattered across the country to help people in such situations. For us in the psychiatric field, we always advocate for prevention rather than cure”,
Dr. Gyanwa revealed that, currently, much attention is being given to people or youth in a bid to preventing them attempting engage in the acts.
She underscored the factors that lead people into drugs and its related offences.
“Curiosity is one factor, genetics, stresses, lack of retentive memory and depression can cause students and others into drug usage. In all these, we urge the youth to seek for support”, she advised.
According to Dr. Gyanwa, drugs or narcotic substances abuse have surged in the Region, raising fresh alarm on the dangers of how rampant the data has gone up.
“In Eastern Region, the menace has gone up. I don’t have the data currently but due to my position, we have lots of cases. Before now, most of the case were going to Accra Psychiatric hospital, Pantang and others but because I’m currently here, all the cases from the various health centers are referred to the Regional hospital and with this, obviously, the data would go up but I must say it’s in relation to the situation we find ourselves“, she noted.
She was emphatic on the usage of wee as an easy and a major influencer or gateway for narcotic abuse.
“When I listen to people, it’s wee and in our records, it’s wee. It’s the gateway to substance abuse. But then, when you listen to those who goes into cocaine and heroin, they all started with wee and so we say it serves as a gateway and it’s easy for someone to convince you as compared to other substances”,
