The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has revealed that a first-year Senior High School (SHS) student in the Eastern Region was caught with marijuana disguised as a tea bag, and hidden in his school bag.

According to the Deputy Director-General of NACOC, Alexander Twum-Barimah, the incident occurred at a Senior High School in the region.

He also described the packaging of marijuana as tea bags and smuggled into school campuses as a disturbing trend.

“I went to Asamankese in the Eastern Region, and during my conversation with the District Chief Executive, he mentioned that a Form One student was returning to school and among his belongings, a ‘wee’ tea bag was found,” Twum-Barimah said in an interview with Woezor TV, broadcast on Sunday, September 28, 2025, as reported by graphic.com.gh.

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The institution has identified this development as a new tactic targeting young people, and has therefore called for keen vigilance among school authorities, parents, and students.

Twum-Barimah further explained that the issue has extended beyond Senior High Schools, with reports indicating that marijuana use is now spreading to basic schools.

He expressed deep concern about the increasingly younger age profile of drug users, citing the case of a 16-year-old boy who was recently caught in possession of two sticks of marijuana.

“There was a person that we contacted at that time and we found a 16-year-old boy. He carried two sticks of marijuana. A sixteen-year-old boy with two sticks of wee. Why should that happen?” he questioned.

According to him, the challenge has become so widespread that district assemblies are requesting the establishment of NACOC offices in their areas.

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He noted that NACOC has already set up offices in the Asamankese District, Adansi Municipality, and Ashanti Akim District to strengthen local response to the emerging trend.

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