Drug abuse among the youth of Damongo in the Savannah region has become so high that the regional minister cries over its threat to security in the region.

The Savannah Regional Minister, Saeed Muhazu Jibril, has bemoaned the high rate of substance abuse among the youth in Damongo township and its environs.

According to him, the town will soon witness an influx of mentally derailed people on the streets of the Regional capital if measures are not put in place to curb the menace.

Saeed indicated that many of the youth of school-going age can be found at the various “Ghetto” joints either smoking or sleeping after receiving doses of tramadol and other dangerous substances injected into their body systems.

The Savannah Regional Minister mentioned that medicines meant for children, such as teedar and paracetamol syrups, are consumed at higher volumes, including super glue and cold patch solutions, among what is consumed by this youth just to get ‘high’.

He disclosed, however, that the security forces in the capital are doing very well to curb the situation.

He said the alarming rate of abuse, especially among the youth, can be traced to the high unemployment among the youth, the frustration of highly qualified students not having access to further education, and the general economic situation in the country.

Saeed Muhazu Jibril said Marijuana has been identified as the major drug of abuse among the youth in Ghana. The age of incidence of marijuana abuse is relatively low (10–12 years), and experimentation has been found to be the main reason for the start of the abuse.