About 90 percent of all reported cases and arrests, involving substance abuse in the Western Region are associated with illegal possession, usage and trafficking of Marijuana. Western Region Unit Commander of the Drug Law Enforcement unit of the Ghana Police Service Eugene Adu Danso has revealed. The unit whose mandate is to arrest and prosecute drug law offenders indicates, the most common cases reported to the unit is marijuana cultivation, usage, and trafficking.
Mr. Eugene Adu Danso said “Marijuana is the most commonly used drug in the region almost 90% of all narcotic cases in the region involve marijuana use trafficking and cultivation, in October just last month, the unit arrested three persons conveying 92 bales of compressed marijuana in sacks being transported from Accra to the region. There were similar arrests of such quantum in the past years”
The consumption, trafficking and cultivation of marijuana has been an albatross in the Ghanaian society with series of cases being reported almost every day. A united nation’s recent report on the use of illicit drugs rated Ghana as the leading user of marijuana and third in the world. There have been several calls on government to legalize the substance in the country by some advocates who believe legalizing the drug will help improve the current economic situation of the country, whilst correctional homes are being set up to support the rehab of users and addicts, rather than jailing them.
Speaking at a recent workshop at the Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly, Western region Unit commander of the drug law enforcement unit of the Ghana police service Eugene Adu Danso indicated that, there are known ghettos scattered around the metropolis where these weed smokers hide. According to him, all clamp down exercises by the command have yielded no results as these ghettos keep bouncing back few days after operation.
“There are also a number of ghettos, scattered around the metropolis as well as towns where this marijuana are sold, police have continuously clamp down these ghettos but they always bounce back immediately after police operations. It is evidently clear that arresting and jailing marijuana users have not helped curb the menace, most of the users even do not know the legal and health implications, I therefore suggest that health education is the best way to go especially the youth” he added
–
Source: Skyy News
