The Director-General of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), Major General Maxwell Obuba, has raised concerns about the growing number of young people in Ghana who are starting to use drugs at an early age.
He said a 2025 study by the University of Ghana School of Public Health found that 10% of people who use drugs started before the age of 15, while 54% started before they turned 19.
According to Major General Obuba, the figures show how drug use, especially opioid misuse, has become a concern in some communities and is putting young people at risk.
He made the comments on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, in Kumasi during the International Youth Day celebration.
He called for stronger efforts to prevent drug use, educate young people and provide support for those who may be at risk.
“Those figures should make us pause and think about how deeply opioid use and misuse have penetrated some of our communities,” he said.
Major General Obuba said prevention should receive more attention because efforts to stop drug use need to start early.
He stressed that children and teenagers must be educated and protected before they develop substance use disorders.
He also said families, schools, communities and government institutions all have important roles to play. They must help young people understand the dangers of drug use and make sure those who need help can access the right support.
Major General Obuba further revealed that 1,179 people received treatment for substance use disorders in 2025 through 30 treatment centres across Ghana.
He explained that 88.5% of those who received treatment were between the ages of 20 and 44. This shows that substance use is also affecting many people during their most productive years.
The NACOC Director-General said Ghana needs to take a balanced approach to the problem. He called for enforcement to be combined with prevention, public education, treatment and rehabilitation to help reduce drug use and protect the country’s young people.
