Chief Psychiatrist of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Kwasi Osei says Ghana must do more to reduce the smoking of marijuana commonly known as ‘wee.’
According to him, though it would be difficult to reduce the practice, it is important that resources that will help to curb the practice will be made available to stop it.
“We have not used any resources to stop the wee smoking in the country and so a lot of people have been addicted and for that matter it’s going to be difficult to stop its usage” he said on Adom FM’s Midday News Friday.
An officer of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) has stated that Ghana is the highest consumer of marijuana in Africa.
Daniel Akwasi Amankwa, who is the Divisional Supervisor for Demand Education of NACOB said, the country is ranked 3rd in the world.
According to him, Ghana’s ranking was captured in a United Nations report a couple of years ago.
He was making a case for a drug court system in Ghana, stressing that the United States of America (USA), once a leading consumer of drugs, has been successful in implementing that system.
“Besides, there are over 20 countries including Australia and New Zealand which has adopted the drug court system,” he said.
Dr. Osei expressed worry over the UN report on the use of marijuana but believes that the best option to stop its usage is by educating consumers on the harmful effects it may bring to them.
“Legalizing wee smoking is very bad and so the best option is education” he stated.
