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Editorial News of Thursday, 15 July 1999

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Ghanaian Times

Rich students trade in drugs?Narcotics Board survey reveals

In a banner headline story, the Ghanaian Times reports that a recent study by the Narcotics Control Board in some second-cycle educational institutions in Ghana, has revealed that drug dealers now use students from rich backgrounds in their distribution chain.

According to the study, initially, the dealers entice the students with free supply of some of the drugs for use.

When in the long run the students become addicted, the dealers then ask them to help widen the distribution network by acting as sub-dealers. In some cases, the study showed that when the students become addicted, the alleged suppliers cease to supply them with the stuff, compelling them to steal from other sources to buy the drug.

The Times quotes a source at the Narcotics Control Board as saying that the survey was conducted from February 15 to 22 at the instance of President Jerry Rawlings. The paper says even though the source would not reveal which schools were involved in the study, it said that the schools were randomly selected from the Greater Accra, Ashanti, Central, Eastern and Western Regions.