Pharmaceutical Society calls for strict monitoring to curb opioids abuse

The Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana has called for stricter regulations and enhanced monitoring mechanisms to curb the growing abuse of opioids among Ghana’s youth.

Opioid addiction has become a major public health concern in Ghana, with reports indicating a surge in the illegal sale and misuse of powerful painkillers such as tramadol and codeine-based medications.

The abuse of these substances has been linked to severe health complications, including addiction, mental health disorders, organ damage, and even fatalities.

Speaking on Monday, March 31, Dr. Richmond Adusa-Poku, a member of the Executive Committee of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana, called on the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), the Pharmacy Council, and other regulatory bodies to step up their oversight of pharmacies and drug distribution channels.

He also expressed concern about the rise of unlicensed and unscrupulous pharmacies selling opioids like tramadol at dangerously high doses, particularly the 225 mg “street red” variant, which he described as completely unacceptable and out of order.

“Pharmacists have a book called dangerous drugs book and in it are all the opioids that we sell per prescription and we stamp them. The FDA have a policy where opioids are written separately from other medications and we record everything on this dangerous drugs so that when they come for monitoring, they can know how we sold opioids and that will call for more monitoring from the FDA and Pharmacy Council.

“We have heard that there are some pharmacies that sell these street red which are 225 mg in strength, which is totally out of order, and this is where we have to let Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) intelligence officers get down on the ground and link up with the community leaders and trace the source of these opioids.”