Psychiatrist Wants Narcotics Board Enlarged

Accra (GAR), June 23, - A Psychiatrist today suggested the need to broaden the scope of the Narcotics Control Board (NCB) to include a medical examining body. Dr Akwasi Osei of the Accra Psychiatrist Hospital who made the suggestion categorised drug users into two - the 'new recruits' who stand the chance of changing with the least counselling and the long-standing users who know all the health and legal dangers but cannot stop because they see it as obligatory. He was speaking at an informal discussion in connection with the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking organised by the NCB and the Lutheran Media Ministries in Accra today. Dr Osei said should the addicts be involved in any crime, they should be medically examined to ascertain whether they were in their right senses at the time of committing the offence in order to avoid a miscarriage of justice.