‘Report persons who introduce you to drugs’

School pupils have been advised to report persons who secretely introduce them to the use of hard drugs such as cocaine and Indian hemp for the law to deal with them.

According to a Pharmacist at the Volta Regional Hospital, Mr Richard Allornu, shielding such people from being punished and learning their bad behaviour would have negative effects on the victims as they may end up destroying their lives with drugs or be in jail.

Mr  Allornu was speaking to pupils at the Airfield Complex School in Ho during a presentation of exercise books, pencils and pens, Veronica buckets, toiletries by the Ho branch of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana to commemorate this year’s World Pharmacists Day celebration. 

The celebration was on the theme: ‘Your Pharmacists Care For You’. 

He explained that young people who engaged in drug abuse became addicted as they were unable to put a stop to the bad behaviour, leading to a lot of health implications.

Apart from the health issues, he indicated that persons involved in drugs don’t grow to become responsible adults as they are unable to complete school, while the females engage in illicit sex and get pregnant. 

He also advised the schoolchildren against self-medication, explaining that “it is bad for children to take medicines that have not been prescribed for them by a physician as it can worsen your condition or result in a different health problem”.

Another pharmacist, Madam Belinda Atsunyo also explained to the over 200 pupils the importance of practising personal hygiene. 

She said handwashing in schools was important for good health.

The pupils, she said, should always be cautious of the kind of food they bought in school in order not to fall sick.