For far too long, Ghanaians have neglected the pressing issue of substance abuse among the youth—those in the formative years of adolescence and young adulthood, typically ranging from 15 to 24 according to the UN, leading to unprecedented levels of addiction. Contrary to popular belief, both globally and in Ghana, addiction is not simply a choice or something that can just be switched off.

It is a neurobiological condition that requires rehabilitation-focused treatment and empathy for effective recovery. Normally, activities that bring pleasure trigger the release of dopamine, the brain’s ‘feel-good’ chemical. However, when someone repeatedly uses addictive substances, the brain becomes increasingly dependent on them because they release an extremely high amount of dopamine very quickly. This causes the dopamine receptors of the brain to decrease due to the dopamine overload, making it harder to experience pleasure from everyday activities that would otherwise have been sufficient. This rewiring of the brain leads to intense cravings and a cycle of use that’s very hard to break. To address the issue, we must adopt community-based approaches to fight this at a grassroots level.

Peer education presents a crucial first step in doing this, given the social dynamics that lead to substance abuse in the Ghanaian youth. Negative peer pressure has led to a lot of substance use, leading to abuse. A 2014 study from the University of Cape Coast reveals that nearly half of  SHS students who use substances do so out of curiosity, with over 27% obtaining alcohol from friends and choosing to drink in social settings. These statistics paint a clear picture: peer influence plays a pivotal role in both initiating and maintaining substance use patterns. However, this unfortunate reality can be transformed into a powerful tool for preventing and helping young people break free from the chains of substance abuse.

The implementation of peer education programs should take inspiration from the proven method of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) but be adapted to address the full spectrum of substance abuse facing the Ghanaian youth, both in SHS and University. Picture this: after-school meetings in a private classroom led by student facilitators where everyone is discussing their struggles with or concerns about substance abuse. That’s what this model provides, along with confidentiality, everyone involved would be required to sign a binding agreement that “what’s shared here stays here”. Schools should allocate time and space for this, to enable students to have enough contact hours and feel safe. Students who then benefit from these meetings could embark on public speaking journeys at educational institutions and churches to share their stories and offer mentorship.

Beyond this, tackling youth substance abuse requires active parental support and intervention. Hospitals and other healthcare-related organisations should organise workshops to teach parents about behaviours that are associated with substance use so that it can be identified early. Ghanaian parents need to understand the need to express empathy and provide emotional support instead of lashing out and exacerbating the problem. Parents can be accessed for workshops through schools, churches and the workplace. These workshops should be focused on teaching parents how to detect warning signs, communicate effectively and be a safe space for their young ones who may feel isolated or misunderstood. This would go a long way in helping young people recover from substance abuse.

In addition to peer education and parental involvement, local governments—Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs)—should provide funding for community-based rehabilitation programs where rehabilitation and skills training centres are set up to help recovering addicts through mentorship, counselling, and vocational training. This would allow young addicts to re-integrate themselves into society with valuable skills that they can use to get employed or start businesses. MMDAs should also partner with businesses to secure actual job opportunities for their youth, ensuring that there’s truly a productive way forward. For SHS students, counselling should be centred around highlighting the importance of school and providing advice for the next steps in their academic journey to enable them to choose fulfilling careers where they can truly make an impact in society.

If we truly want to secure a prosperous future for our youth and the country as a whole, we must treat youth substance abuse as a collective issue. By setting up peer education programs, equipping parents with the right tools and through local government support, we can empower the youth and heal our communities.

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The writer was recently announced the winner of the 2nd Edition of the Youth Advocacy Challenge by the Ghana Library Authority (GhLA).