The Head of the Substances of Abuse Department at the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Dr. Allotey-Pappoe, has cautioned that Ghana faces a growing risk from the misuse of opioids, warning that their addictive nature poses a major public health concern.

Speaking at the JoyNews National Dialogue on Ghana’s opioid crisis on Thursday, August 28, Dr. Allotey-Pappoe explained that opioids, a class of drugs derived either naturally from the poppy plant or synthesized in laboratories, play a dual role in healthcare and abuse.

“When we talk about opioids, we are talking about a class of drugs that come from the poppy plant. We have those that are naturally obtained, such as heroin and morphine, and others that are synthetically derived, like tramadol, tapentadol, and fentanyl,” she said.

According to her, while opioids remain essential in clinical settings for the management of moderate to severe pain, their psychoactive properties make them highly addictive.

“Opioids trigger the release of endorphins, creating feelings of excitement and happiness. That is how people get hooked, because of the euphoria that comes with it,” she noted.

Dr. Allotey-Pappoe stressed that no responsible clinician would prescribe opioids for long-term use due to the high risk of dependence.

In Ghana, she said, only tramadol doses of 50 and 100 milligrams are legally permitted, while codeine-containing cough syrups have been banned since 2019 following widespread abuse.

She further disclosed that tapentadol, a synthetic opioid recently entering the Ghanaian market, is not registered for medical use in the country and does not appear in national treatment guidelines.

“Any tapentadol you see on the market is unregistered and therefore illegal,” she cautioned.