A viral video of some young Ghanaian youths high on drugs has surfaced on social media.
In the viral videos shared on social media, the Ghanaian youths were captured very high on an unknown drug.
The videos which have since gone viral have sparked outrage on social media about the disturbing trend of young youths being very high on drugs which indicates a growing trend of substance abuse among Ghanaian youth.
It is no coincidence that a BBC Eye investigation revealed that an Indian pharmaceutical company is manufacturing unlicensed extremely addictive opioids and unlawfully shipping them to Ghana and other African countries.
The Indian pharma firm Aveo Pharmaceuticals based in Mumbai is making a range of pills to look like legitimate medicines.
The information revealed green pills labelled Tafrodol with the packets stamped with the distinctive logo of Aveo Pharmaceuticals.
According to the information gathered, the pills comprise the same harmful mix of ingredients: tapentadol, a powerful opioid, and carisoprodol, a muscle relaxant which has been banned in Europe.
The drugs according to reports are not licensed anywhere in the world and cause breathing difficulties and seizures.
These drugs have however found their way to the streets of Ghana and other West African countries like Nigeria, and Cote d’Ivoire.
According to the Narcotic Control Board (NACOB), about fifty thousand (50,000) people in Ghana, particularly the youth, abuse drugs, out of which 35,000 are students from junior/senior high schools and tertiary institutions.
The information gathered also reveals, that three northern regions account for more than 50% of the reported usage.
Under Ghana’s new amended drug policy, illicit drug use is subject to a fine ranging from GH₵2,400 to GH₵6,000, replacing the previous punishment of imprisonment.
Some Ghanaians have expressed their opinion about the growing trend of Ghanaian youths abusing drugs.
An X user stated, “Bro thank you what I was analyzing this afternoon this is like nobody cares it has become a trend which will influence the youth especially those in SHS”.
“I mean, if you get to watch all of them, you just become speechless and ask yourself so many questions that even them can’t get answers for you…damn”, another stated.
Some Ghanaians have however suggested some of the videos are just TikTok trends, “Bro the first frame is just a TikTok thing. I checked her page yesterday. She’s just a TikTok content creator”.
“Most of them are just trending videos and they don’t actually take the drug.
This is how powerful music is. We need to promote good music but unfortunately, no one will listen”, another added.
Meanwhile, Member of Parliament (MP) for Klottey Korle Constituency, Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, has urged the government to enhance security measures and closely monitor activities at the country’s borders.
Her call follows a recent BBC Eye investigation, which revealed that unlicensed and highly addictive opioids from India are fueling a growing drug crisis in Ghana. The report highlighted Tamale, the Northern Regional capital, as a hotspot for fake tramadol abuse.
Addressing Parliament on Tuesday, February 25, Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings stressed that drug abuse is a national security threat, pointing out that a significant number of young people are engaged in substance abuse.
She stated, “Mr. Speaker Ghana is well known to be a hub and a transit point for illicit drugs but this particular phenomenon we are witnessing is quiet shocking actually. As a matter of fact in my constituency we have a cluster of schools, the Nii Amugi cluster of schools where people who are addicted to drugs have actually invaded the premises and harass the students and teachers and recently in the last 3 weeks, one of the security personnel in the school was attacked by a gang of drug addicts and is now at the 37 military hospital in a coma.”
She further warned of the severe consequences of illicit drug imports, emphasizing their impact on individuals’ lives, school safety, and overall national security
Watch the video below:
This is Ghana’s youth… … If nothing is done right now, our future is at stake… pic.twitter.com/ItKdJZtIHe
— Jasper Ziggle 🥷🇬🇭 🇺🇸 (@JasperZiggle) March 2, 2025
