The Ashanti Regional Command of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) organised a poetry competition for Drug Free Clubs in nine Senior High Schools (SHSs) as part of activities marking the 2026 World Drug Day celebration.

The competition formed part of the post-launch activities for this year's commemoration and was aimed at raising awareness about the dangers of drug abuse among students.

Held under the theme, "Drug Abuse, Causes and Effects," the event tested participants' knowledge of substance abuse and provided a platform for students to educate their peers on the importance of maintaining healthy lifestyles.

The participating schools were Adventist Senior High School, Islamic Senior High School, Kumasi Anglican Senior High School, Yaa Asantewaa Girls' Senior High School, Prempeh College, KNUST Senior High School, Kumasi Technical Institute, St. Louis Senior High School, and Armed Forces Senior High Technical School.

Each school's Drug Free Club presented one or more students to perform either solo or duet poetry recitations, using original or selected poems centred on drug abuse and its consequences.

In his opening remarks, Ashanti Regional Commander of NACOC, PNCO Samuel Yeboah, stressed that tackling drug abuse requires collective action from schools, parents, communities and students.

He encouraged participants to become ambassadors of the Commission by educating their colleagues on the dangers of substance abuse and promoting positive life choices.

The students delivered thought-provoking performances highlighting the physical, psychological, social and economic effects of drug abuse while urging young people to reject illicit drugs and focus on education, discipline and personal development.

Contestants were judged on memorisation, clarity of speech, pronunciation, expression, stage presence, confidence and interpretation of their poems.

At the end of the competition, Kumasi Anglican Senior High School emerged winners, with Armed Forces Senior High Technical School placing second and Prempeh College taking third place.

The poetry reciters received medals, exercise books and certificates, while the top three schools were presented with trophies and cash prizes in recognition of their outstanding performances.

Teachers and invited guests commended NACOC for using poetry as a creative approach to engage students in discussions on drug abuse, expressing hope that the messages shared during the competition would encourage informed decision-making and discourage substance abuse among young people.

The event concluded with a renewed commitment by the participating schools and NACOC to strengthen collaboration on educational programmes aimed at preventing drug abuse, promoting healthy lifestyles and encouraging responsible citizenship among students.