NACOB concerned about use of drugs in schools

The Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) on Wednesday said it had observed with great concern the growing tendency to sell drugs around the vicinity of Junior High Schools and the use of drugs among students.

A statement signed by Mr Francis Opoku Amoah, Public Relations Officer of NACOB, said the observation was made during a recent visit to some schools in the Greater Accra Region.

The schools visited were at La, Accra New Town, Kotobabi, Abeka, Nii Boi Town, Burma Camp, Abosey Okai, Korle Gonno and Mamprobi in Accra. In all 42 schools were visited.

The visit formed part of the prevention and education functions of the Board, the statement said.

It said during the visits the Board noted that some notorious drug users in and around such areas increasingly used the students in the purchase of such drugs and failure to run such errand by the students, resulted in flogging.

It said the users and sellers of the drugs had become emboldened in their nefarious activities that some sellers had started advertising their products in the community.

"This is done so much in the open that almost all students in the schools are aware of the point of sale."

The statement said what was even more worrying was the fact that the students the NACOB officials interacted with had immense knowledge and skill in the preparation and use of marijuana and demonstrated such skill with dexterity.

"They were also prepared to lead officials of NACOB to the numerous points of sale of drugs in and round the vicinity of their schools, which indicated the extent to which they were exposed to drugs."

The NACOB officials came across a billboard with the drawing of a human being smoking, which meant to indicate that this was a point of sale of marijuana known as "Ojoni" and "MTN".

The statement said during the visits officials of the Board educated the students on the effects of drug abuse. There was also an exhibition of the various types of narcotics drugs, after which the students asked questions.

It said the session provided the students with an opportunity to appreciate the dangers of drug abuse and to seek clarification on drug related issues.

The statement said some of the headteachers of the schools visited appealed to the authorities to help fence the schools for them. They also called for the provision of security at the schools, especially after school hours.