BY Nadia Ntiamoah
A disturbing case of substance concealment has rocked the educational sector after a first-year Senior High School (SHS) student in Asamankese, in the Lower West Akim Municipality of the Eastern Region, was caught with marijuana cleverly packaged in tea bag wrappers.
The incident, which has raised concerns among educationists and narcotics officials, was confirmed by the Deputy Director-General of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), Alexander Twum-Barimah.
He revealed in an interview that the student’s illicit package was discovered during a routine check of his belongings.
According to Twum-Barimah, the discovery was alarming not only because of the student’s age but also because of the innovative method used to disguise the substance.
By packaging the marijuana in tea bag wrappers, those involved hoped to evade detection and pass the drugs off as harmless household items.
“This is not just about the presence of marijuana in schools. It is about how the drugs are being disguised in everyday packaging to lure unsuspecting young people,” he warned.
So far, NACOC has set up offices in the Asamankese District, Adansi Municipality, and Ashanti Akim District.
In addition to student-related cases, NACOC has intensified its crackdown on illegal drug distribution.
Twum-Barimah disclosed that six drug stores and two pharmacies were recently closed down for selling unapproved high-dose tramadol, a drug often abused by the youth.
GES
The Ghana Education Service (GES) has been informed of the incident and is expected to take disciplinary measures against the student while strengthening anti-drug education across schools.
