The Mental Health Authority of Ghana has joined the rest of the world in marking the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on Wednesday, June 26, 2024.

The Authority has called on stakeholders—government, NGOs, educational institutions, the media, and the public—to unite in combating drug abuse by investing in prevention efforts.

According to the Authority, Ghana is facing a growing challenge with drug abuse, especially among the youth, which undermines public health, safety, and socio-economic development.

Data from the District Health Information Management System (DHIMS), as reported by the Mental Health Authority, has consistently listed mental disorders due to alcohol and other psychoactive substances among the top 10 causes of mental health outpatient attendance.

In 2023, there were 3,765 cases of mental disorders due to alcohol use and 5,554 cases related to other psychoactive substance use.

Over the past five years, there has been a steady rise in the number of cases of mental disorders due to psychoactive substance use, increasing from 4,155 in 2019 to 5,554 in 2023.

The most affected age range is 20–34 years, but alarmingly, children as young as 10–14 years are also presenting with conditions stemming from drug use.

The International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is a United Nations International Day dedicated to combating drug abuse and the illegal drug trade.

The Mental Health Authority's call to action emphasizes the need for a collective effort to address this critical issue.

Find below a statement from the Mental Health Authority to mark International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking: