The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference is urging authorities to widen the country’s approach to tackling drug abuse, warning that substances readily available in communities are taking a serious toll on young people.

The Bishops say the national response must go beyond the fight against cocaine and other high-profile narcotics to include drugs that are more easily obtained and widely used by young people.

They are particularly concerned about the growing use of tramadol, marijuana, “Red” and other substances, which they say are contributing to the destruction of the lives and prospects of many young people in communities across the country.

President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Most Rev. Matthew Gyamfi, told Citi FM that the scale of abuse of readily accessible drugs required urgent attention.

He argued that authorities should strengthen laws and enforcement to restrict the importation and illegal sale of such substances and remove them from the shelves.

Most Rev. Gyamfi said the focus on cocaine alone risked overlooking substances that were being consumed more extensively by young people.

“You should not concentrate only on drugs like cocaine, which is used, but not as massively as marijuana, tramadol, ‘Red’ and other similar drugs that are readily available on the shelves, and young people just go for it,” he stated.

He called for stronger measures to prevent the importation and distribution of the drugs, while urging authorities to intensify efforts to protect young people from substance abuse and address the wider social consequences of the drug menace.