The Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) has raised concern over what it describes as the alarming trend in the use of drugs among students in some junior high schools (JHS) in the Greater Accra Region.

According to the board, visits to selected schools in the region revealed that "there is a growing tendency to sell drugs around the vicinity of JHS".

A statement from the board said 42 schools located at Labadi, Accra New Town, Kotobabi, Abeka, Nii Boi 'Town, Burma Camp, Abossey Okai, Korle Gonno and Mamprobi were visited and in some of the areas visited the sale of drugs was done so much in the open that almost all students in the schools were aware of the points of sale.

The visits formed part of the preventive and educational functions of the board, with similar visits having been made to the Central, Upper East and Western regions.

According to the statement, some drug users in and around the areas visited increasingly used students in the purchase of the drugs, the failure to run such errands by the students resulting in their being flogged.

It said both users and sellers of the drugs had become so emboldened in their nefarious activities that some sellers had started advertising their products in the communities.

"Officials of NACOB came across a billboard with the drawing of a human being smoking, which was meant to indicate that this was a point of sale of marijuana," the statement said.

It said teachers in some of the schools visited complained about the use of school premises by drug addicts after school hours, adding that because most of the schools had no fences, the teachers could do virtually nothing to address the situation.

"Even more worrying was the fact that the students whom officials of the board interacted with had immense knowledge and skill in the preparation and use of marijuana and demonstrated such skill with dexterity," the statement said.

It said some of the students were even prepared to lead officials of the board to the numerous points of sale of the drug in and around the vicinity of their schools.

According to the statement, during the visits, officials of the board educated students on the effects of drug abuse and there were also exhibitions on the various types of narcotic drugs, after which the students asked questions.

"The sessions provided the students with the opportunity to appreciate the dangers of drug abuse and to seek clarification on related issues," it said.

The statement said some of the head teachers appealed to the authorities to fence their schools and also provide them with security, especially after school hours.

Source: Daily Graphic