Over 82,500 Ghanaians trapped in drug addiction – NACOC

The Director-General of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), Major General Maxwell Obubia, has issued a stark warning about the escalating drug abuse crisis among young Ghanaians, revealing that more than 82,500 people across the country are currently trapped in illicit drug addiction.

Speaking as a special guest on Day 2 of the National Youth Conference held at the KNUST Great Hall in Kumasi, Major General Obubia cautioned that substance abuse among the youth is actively undermining the human resource potential required for the nation’s future development.

Citing research conducted in 2025 by the University of Ghana School of Public Health, the NACOC Director-General disclosed that out of the 82,500 drug users recorded nationwide, the Ashanti Region alone accounts for a staggering 16,300 individuals.

Even more alarming, the data revealed that 10% of those involved in drug abuse are teenagers around 15 years old.

Detailing the treatment statistics for 2025, Major General Obubia revealed that 1,569 individuals underwent formal rehabilitation and medical treatment for severe drug addiction during the year.

In a sobering revelation that shocked participants at the conference, the NACOC boss disclosed that substance abuse has also infiltrated the healthcare sector, affecting trained medical personnel who are expected to care for others.

“In 2025 alone, 1,569 people received medical treatment for drug addiction. Tragically, those receiving treatment included three medical doctors, two pharmacists, and three nurses. This shows that drug addiction does not discriminate based on profession or social standing; it is a destructive force that spares no one,” he said.

Major General Obubia urged the hundreds of young participants gathered at the conference to stay away from narcotics, highlighting the potentially irreversible physiological, mental, and career-related damage associated with illegal drug use.

He reminded the youth that, as the future leaders, innovators, and professionals of Ghana, engaging in drug abuse directly jeopardises both their personal lives and the broader national development agenda.

He called on community leaders, parents, educational institutions, and religious bodies to collaborate closely with NACOC to intensify public education and dismantle drug-peddling networks operating around school campuses and residential areas.

The three-day National Youth Conference brought together youth groups, policy experts, and state agencies to deliberate on strategies for youth empowerment, moral rebuilding, and national transformation.