Cape Coast, July 29, GNA - The Ghana Medical Association (GMA), has underscored the need for stakeholders to effectively unify their front and intensify education on the impact of adolescent substance abuse to curb the growing practice.
They must also educate the adolescent, especially school children, to stay away from drugs in order to save their physical, mental health, and as well as their hopes and aspirations.
Dr. Frank Ankobea, President of the GMA made the call at the 19th Annual Public Lecture held on the theme: "Adolescent health in Ghana: Challenges and the way forward", at Cape Coast, on Friday.
Among other things, Dr Ankobea expressed concern about the persistent general economic challenges in the country as the core stimulant luring the youth in particular to abuse drugs.
He said many families in Ghana lived below the national poverty line and that made catering for the physical needs of their adolescent children difficult and sometimes impossible.
This, according to him, has the propensity of making the adolescent vulnerable to various forms of abuse as many are forced to abandon school to engage in economic ventures such as farming, galamsey, hunting, rock quarrying, construction, fishing and hawking with its attending dire consequences.
"The inability of families to provide for their children, especially girls, is directly linked to cases of sexual abuse and defilement and easy prey for child traffickers and commercial sexual exploitation"' he noted
Dr Ankobea was saddened that the linkage between adolescent health care situation in Ghana and the uncertainty in the future is dire but gave the hope that the GMA has stepped up efforts to remedy the situation in collaboration with other stakeholders.
He advised that using illegal substances to enhance performance offered no benefit and would only land them in trouble with law enforcing agencies, bringing their careers to an abrupt end.
He urged all, especially students, to avoid drug abuse and if tempted, they should ponder over the repercussions such drugs might have on their health.
Also they should sidestep the use of un-prescribed and illicit drug substances such as cannabis, cocaine and tramadol among others, in order not to jeopardise their future.
Dr Sammy Ohene, Head of Department of Psychiatry at the University of Ghana highlighted some reasons why adolescent abuse drugs and it effects.
He said: "Some take in drugs for excitement, to reduce depression and anxiety .As a result of the abuse of drugs they have poor impulse control, lack the ability to understand and also loses his memory".
He urged all young ones to desist from abusing hard drugs since it won't bring any positive impact in their life.
Dr Angela Dwamena-Aboagye, the Executive Director of the Ark Foundation-Ghana, emphasized on the need for parents to regulate the viewing content of what their children and wards watch.
She advised teachers and parents not to teach only females about the menstrual cycle but also the males too.
GNA
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