Dr. Mustapha Ahmed, Member of Parliament for Ayawaso East has called on the Narcotics Control Board to widen its scope of operation by establishing an Institute for Drug Abuse to help in the rehabilitation of drug users.

He said such an institute could formulate a programme for resettlement of drug users and also direct the use of medicinal drugs as well as the dosage to be prescribed to patients on health grounds.

Dr Ahmed said since the Board was more concerned with bringing drug peddlers to book, there was the need for it to rope in the end users of drugs as part of their resettlement process. The MP said this in Parliament on Wednesday in a contribution to a statement made by Mr. Charles Buor-Karikari, NPP- Amansie- West on "the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Drug Trafficking".

He said drug patients at the psychiatric hospitals only go through de-toxification to enable them go into relapse there was therefore, the need for a special outfit for their total rehabilitation. Dr Ahmed said the Board was presently concerned with roping in on drug peddlers without considering the end users and suggested that resettlement of victims should be considered to prevent the youth from engaging in such practices.

Mr. Buor-Karikari said the United Nation's Drugs Control Programme reports reveals that illicit drug business affects millions of lives in both the developed and developing countries and that drug cultivation, processing, trafficking and abuse are now on the ascendancy in Africa.

He said the Accra Psychiatric Hospital admitted as many as 525 patients with drug related cases, while in the year 2001 there were as many as 590 cases.

Records also indicate that school dropouts and the unemployed constitute a greater percentage of drug abusers.

Mr. Buor-Karikari said drug abuse may lead to domestic violence and break up of families and marriages while the many lunatics roaming about in the streets in the towns and cities are products of drug abuse. He said as the threat of drug abuse was a global menace with staggering social effects and costs, the youth needs the protection, support and positive guidance of their parents, educational institutions, churches and the communities.

Mr. Kwakye Addo, NDC-Afram Plains South, said since the International Narcotic Board has named Ghana as one of the main routes for the trafficking of cocaine, cannabis and heroin there was the need for the law enforcement agencies to enforce the law on drug usage. Mr. Isaac George Amoo, NPP-Ayawaso West -Wuogon said the sale of alcoholic beverages at lorry stations should be stopped immediately since the consumption of alcohol has caused a lot of loss of lives.

Dr William Boakye Akoto, NPP-Birim North said drinking bars should not be allowed to operate at petrol service stations, since it makes drivers to have "quick shots" before beginning a journey. He said society has to re-examine its values and be careful about the way the rich are revered in society without questioning where and how they got their riches.

Mr. Jacob S. Arthur, NDC-Mfantsiman West called for intensive public education on the harmful effects of drug abuse and for finding ways of stopping the people from drug addiction. He said opinion leaders and parents should desist from smoking at home and public places so as to discourage the youth from emulating them.

Capt. Nkrabeah Effah-Dartey (Rtd), NPP- Berekum said there was the need for the youth to be concientised to understand the side effects of the usage of drugs while peer pressure is curtailed at the school level.

Mr. Mumuni Abudu Seidu, NDC-Wa Central said drug abuse was a social canker and apart from its physical and mental harm to the people it also puts the country in an embarrassing situation. He said greed of some people to live affluent lives has increased drug trafficking in the country and called on parents and teachers to start tackling the problem from the home and school by disabusing the mind of the youth that drugs could enhance heir live style and educational status by using drugs.

Mrs Gifty Eugenia Kusi, NPP-Tarkwa-Nsuaem said the prevalence of drug abuse among adolescents should be the concern of not only the government but also civil society. She suggested that the Narcotics Control Board should start its control measures from the basic school level to discourage the youth, who are the most vulnerable to drug abuse from getting addicted.

Mr. Michael Teye Nyaunu, NDC-Lower Manya Krobo called for public education on side effects of drug abuse and said the problem was compounded by peer pressure, copying of foreign lifestyles and uncensored films on the screens and radio. John Kwekucher Ackah, NDC-Aowin Suaman called on the public to be bold to expose drug dealers and users in the society so as to reduce the menace of drug abuse in the country.