This is a fact which cannot be denied. In times past and also in recent times, most evil deeds in the society and in the nation at large have been motivated and inspired by the usage and abuse of drugs. Young men and women steal, defraud, con, manipulate, rob, rape and even murder in order to get drugs or as a direct consequence of drug use (alcohol inclusive). Drug addicts and alcoholics are also vulnerable in society because they often feel very cheated and hated by society. With the knowledge that addicts would do anything to satisfy their addiction, they can easily be lured with a little sum of money to indulge in violence or a riot. After all, no busy individual, parent or student will engage in any upheaval no matter their political or tribal difference knowing that riots will cause damage to the society which can affect their loved ones and their education as well. Recently, I engaged in a conversation with a police officer who kept saying he was worried about the on-going court hearing. He said, “I hope there will be no chaos after the court’s verdict on the election petition has been passed.” And I replied, “I understand that this is a burden. But have you considered that if anyone wants to cause trouble, he or she will visit the most vulnerable in the society and with a small amount of money he or she can get a lot of them to cause trouble?” It is a shame that we always brush this matter aside. The drug issue is hardly considered to be a threat simply because the people who are to do something about it feel very secure so they neglect it. It is said that the potential labour force of every nation are the youth. Unfortunately it is this youth who are mostly been exposed to the use and abuse of psychoactive substances including marijuana (wee), heroin, crack cocaine, alcohol etc. A lot of students are being deceived that the intake of drugs will enable them stay up late to study. As a result, most students fall prey to this lies and are lured into smoking marijuana and other substances which later cause mental illness. Today, many parents and guardians ply busy schedules of life marked by chasing the wind for more wealth and competing with friends just to show off. This attitude is causing our children to be neglected and insecure and the end result is drug addiction. It might not be surprising to find one addict from every home, company, institution living amongst them. Abusers of drugs and alcohol are in positions such as shoemakers, electronic repairers, teachers, financial controllers, police officers, ministers and many more. Heroin and cocaine which are mostly imported are not only highly addictive but also very expensive. Therefore addicts sell their belongings and indulge in various forms of social vices - stealing, car snatching, armed robbery, rape and even murder - just to satisfy their cravings (addiction). Another factor that perpetuates their ignominious act is the painful withdrawal symptoms also known as “turkey” which include weakness, loss of appetite, lacrimation (watery eyes), rhinorea (running nose), joint pains, excessive yawning, occasional vomiting, and stomach upset. This often pushes the addict to commit a crime for survival. Usually, some stand in traffic intersections where the lights are not working to direct traffic and end up robbing innocent drivers and passengers of both private and commercial vehicles. Some also lurk around dark places and snatch the bags, purses and mobile phones of passers-by. Others who meet some form of resistance go to the extent of maiming, raping, or even murdering their victims to ensure a successful “operation”. We must know that a drug addict can attack anyone from the president to the ordinary man on the street to feed his addiction. Furthermore, alcoholics who cannot control themselves abuse their wives and children and end up losing their families, jobs, finances, and even their health. This in turn makes them a burden to family, society and the nation. These unfortunate ones who get into these vices mostly through peer influence and curiosity become a menace to the socio-economic and political development of our nation Ghana. The health implications of substance abuse cannot be overemphasised as drugs are responsible for most cardiovascular diseases with alcohol alone responsible for about 350 different diseases. For instance, when pregnant women continue using drugs especially alcohol, this affects the development of the foetus. Usually such babies are born with physical deformities like low birth weight, underdeveloped brain structures and this makes them suffer from mental retardation. Ghana has been declared as a hub of narcotic drug peddling and abuse and this negatively affects internal and external trade, security and development. It simply erodes the confidence of our development partners in us. Investors will not come and invest in Ghana because of high crime rate perpetrated and orchestrated by these addicts. If care is not taken, workers will even find it difficult to work in safe environment because of the security risk associated with drug addiction. According to the laws of the land, imprisonment and forfeiture of properties are some of the implications of narcotic drugs peddling. But what about the unfortunate addicts who continue to be rejected by families and society? It is quite unfortunate that after the passage of the mental health bill into a law last year, not much was said about the construction of a national rehabilitation centre to cater for the holistic rehabilitation needs of addicts. Although the three psychiatric institutions namely; Pantang, Ankaful and Accra psychiatrics have professionals to take care of drug addicts, the use of these units are usually ineffective in that substance dependent persons ( addicts) feel irritated by their mix up with psychotic patients and so there is a tendency of them negatively responding to treatment in such places. Other private institutions tend to be too expensive for families and even the nation forgetting that it is more expensive considering the social, economic, security implications of addiction and addicts on the entire nation. It is rather unfortunate that when these addicts are thrown into jail, they feel alienated and they turn to become hardened criminals, well nurtured with intensified hatred for the society. I believe strongly that these addicts should rather be rehabilitated. This will make them eschew this bad behaviour and live a meaningful life and become useful to the society in which they live. I also think that there should be strict rules to regulate or ban the sale of alcohol at provision stores and ‘blue kiosks’. Further, the laws should stipulate appropriate or designated places such as pubs and restaurants where alcohol could be sold. Moreover, alcohol should be sold only to mature persons with a permit. These will help regulate the rate at which people abuse alcohol. Again, I humbly submit the Mental Health Law should not be abandoned to become a white elephant. Rather it is prudent to ensure that structures are put in place to enforce and implement these laws. Furthermore, the government can begin to look at establishing public rehab centres for drug addicts. It is also important that the police in the course of their duties should assist the rehab centres in any way they can since these centres are the best place for addicts who are arrested rather than putting them in jail. If governments and politicians are able to help rehab organizations to rehabilitate the same people that might pose a threat to the nation, then the future of the nation will be secured. We do not secure a nation’s future by getting more ammunition but rather forming citizens who cherish peaceful coexistence. We always complain that government is not performing well because everyone thinks it is the role of the government but we all make a part of the government. We all depend on the government and the government depends on us. We must not ask what a political party will do for us but rather what we can do for our country and its people. Drug addicts and alcoholics need help. We only begin to care when a family member or relation gets involved in such habits as the usage, peddling and trafficking of drugs. Only then we realize that we should have helped. We should all come on board and assist them to help eradicate the drug menace in our country.