Prof. Akwesi Osei, a Ghanaian psychiatrist and mental health expert, has spoken on drug use among students following a recent surge in substance abuse at the University of Ghana, highlighted by Edwina Painstil, a counselling psychologist at the University of Ghana Careers and Counselling Directorate (UGCCD).
Speaking to Univers News, Prof. Osei explained that peer pressure is driving students to imitate friends who use drugs.
“If you don’t do it, your colleagues will tell you that you are an outcast,” he said, emphasising how the need to belong can push students into experimentation.
He added that curiosity is another major factor, with some students trying drugs “just to see what lies within.”
Prof. Osei further noted that students may also turn to drugs as a coping mechanism for stress or to stay awake, warning that “these temporary benefits eventually lead you to get hooked and suffer the negative effects.”
Urging immediate action, he advised:
“If you’ve not started these drugs, just don’t start. If you’ve just started, quit. If you can’t quit, seek help.”
He encouraged students to reach out to health professionals, parents, religious leaders, or trusted elders for support, who can then direct them to rehabilitation centres or psychiatric units.
Prof. Osei also called on schools and communities to support awareness programmes and drug-free initiatives, while acknowledging that challenges such as limited funding and social stigma continue to hinder prevention efforts.
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Story by Martin Awaitey Odjidja | univers.ug.edu.gh
Edited by Gabriel Tecco Mensah
