Children as young as 10 are reportedly becoming severely addicted to cannabis in parts of the Volta Region as producers of the substance diversify how it is consumed.

The raw cannabis is processed into toffees and assorted soft drinks and marketed to unsuspecting children, who are attracted to the products and may subsequently develop a craving for them.

The Volta Regional Commander of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), Mr Worlanyo Fianu, disclosed this in an interview with The Mirror on Monday.

He said the disturbing trend was most evident in the Hohoe and Kpando municipalities, as well as the North Dayi, South Dayi and Afadzato South districts.

“A very bleak future is looming ahead of the children, and this calls for urgent and concerted efforts to address the situation,” Mr Fianu said.

He, therefore, called for closer and more cordial collaboration among the various security agencies to curb the menacing trend.

Mr Fianu also called on patriotic members of the public to promptly volunteer information on the activities of cannabis dealers in their communities.

The cannabis syndicate in the region, he said, was making a fortune from the illicit business, with producers allegedly selling the substance to clients in Togo, Benin, Nigeria and other parts of West Africa.

Meanwhile, investigations by The Mirror have revealed that cannabis seeds are increasingly being used as poultry feed, while sheep on cannabis plantations graze on the plant.

The farmers, the investigations further revealed, mix bags of cannabis with charcoal before transporting them surreptitiously to urban centres, where they have ready buyers.

Mr Fianu urged parents to closely monitor their children and take immediate and appropriate action if they noticed any unusual behaviour.

“This time, it is not a matter of seeing your child smoking cannabis because he is only consuming toffees and soft drinks; so parents must be extra vigilant,” he added.

In some boarding schools, Mr Fianu said, it was becoming a common practice for some students to lace their “shito” with granulated marijuana.

Worse still, he said, those involved often invited unsuspecting schoolmates to join them in eating meals prepared with the granulated marijuana.

In July this year, a team of 60 police officers from Ho reportedly raided a dense forest at Peki-Dzake in the South Dayi District and destroyed two marijuana plantations covering a total of eight acres.

The police officers, armed with machetes, cut down the plants before setting fire to the heaps of marijuana using lorry tyres.