The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) is warning that pharmaceutical shops and Over the Counter Medicine Sellers (OCMSs) are not supposed to sell unregistered Tramadol because that is a criminal offence.

Mr. Matthew Gyan Nkum, the Brong-Ahafo Regional Head of the FDA gave the caution in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on Thursday in Sunyani, emphasising that only registered Tramadol could be sold by the Pharmaceutical shops specifically to buyers with a prescription.

Tramadol is an oral tablet and a prescription medication used to treat moderate to severe pain.

The Regional FDA Head stressed “the law does not allow the OCMSs to sell the drug”, even if registered, to either prescription holders or not.

Mr Nkum said both the Pharmaceutical shops and the OCMSs must abide by the law governing the sale of the drug and warned that offenders could be prosecuted.

He lamented that the abuse of the drug had a “devastating” effect on the human body and cited slow heart rate, depression, convulsions, suicidal tendencies, liver and kidney disease, brain damage, respiration depletion and sudden death as some of them.

Mr Nkum said the abuse of the drug had now become a national menace, which needed to be fought by all stakeholders and therefore appealed to traditional and religious leaders to join in that campaign.

He said as part of the educational campaign, his outfit had written to the Municipal and District Education Directorates and Senior high Schools in the Region to sensitise the students on the dangers of the use of the drug.

Mr Nkum advised the public not to just buy drugs particularly painkillers from shops for treatment but should first consult health professionals for advice.