Kumasi, Aug.13, - The National
Youth Council (NYC) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC, has called on the
government to take measures to ban the importation of medical drugs often
abused by the youth.
According to the youth though
medicines like Tramadol and Codeine were useful pain killers, its widespread
abuse especially among the youth was disturbing.
“It was time the national drug
enforcement and regulatory agencies took immediate steps to stop their
importation into the country so as to deprive the youth easy access to such
drugs, the abuse of which is harmful to their health”.
Ms Abena Afriyie, the Organizer
of the TUC youth, indicated that preventing the drugs from entering the country
was the surest way to help strengthen the nation’s fight against drug abuse and
its negative health and socio-economic implications on society.
Ms. Afriyie was interacting with
journalists after a road show as parts of activities to commemorate this year’s
International Youth Day in Kumasi.
This year’s celebration was held
under the theme, “Safe Spaces for Youth”.
The youth marched through some
principal streets in the Kumasi metropolis, holding placards depicting the
dangers of drug and substance abuse.
She said the event was to draw
the nation’s attention, to the importance of working together towards creating
safe spaces that protected young persons from the lure of drug and substance
abuse.
Ms Afriyie called on the youth to
arise and pledge themselves to a substance and drug-free lifestyle.
She also stressed the critical
need for efficient institutional support systems to help rehabilitate those who
have already fallen victim to drug and substance abuse.
The group after the walk visited
and donated food and food items to the inmates of Drugs and Substance Abuse
Rehabilitation Centre in Kumasi, which was offering rehabilitation and support
services to drug victims, most of them were young people.
GNA
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