The Commission made the call at the commemoration of the 2023 International Day Against Drug Abuse and illicit trafficking in Accra on Monday, held on the theme, “People First: stop stigma and discrimination, strengthen prevention.”

Speaking at the ceremony, the Acting Director of Public Affairs and International Relations at NACOC, Francis Opoku Amoah, cautioned against the use of illicit drugs and warned of legal consequences for those involved in their trade.

“There is a law for those who are using and trafficking, and the law mandates the NACOC to be at all border posts in the country. And once we are there we are vigilant, we observe and make sure that whoever is in the trade is arrested. Once you are arrested, we make sure that we put you before court and prosecution will go on,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer of the Mental Health Authority, Pinaman Appau, advised that, stigmatising victims of substance abuse disorder may lead to a mental breakdown, and it is important to seek medical assistance.

“We are advocating that people get to educate themselves about addiction being a health issue and not a moral issue. People then should have empathy and be compassionate towards persons in such conditions so that they will seek help when needed,” she added.