NACOC Lists Number of Ghanaians on Hard Substance; 16,300 in Ashanti Region Alone

• The Narcotics Control Commission released figures showing 82,500 people across Ghana actively use illicit substances
• The Ashanti Region accounted for 16,300 of the national figure, based on a 2025 University of Ghana School of Public Health study
• NACOC's Director-General raised alarm over a 6.6% HIV prevalence rate among drug users in the Ashanti Region, far above the national average

An estimated 82,500 people in Ghana are actively using illicit substances, with the Ashanti Region home to around 16,300 of that total, the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has disclosed.

The figures were presented by NACOC Director-General Major General Maxwell Obuba during International Youth Day celebrations held in Kumasi, where he warned that substance abuse is posing serious health and social risks to Ghana's young population.

Scale of Ghana's hard substance crisis

According to a report by Citinewsroom, the numbers are drawn from research conducted by the University of Ghana School of Public Health in 2025.

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Crucially, the data does not include Indian hemp, which remains the most widely abused substance in the country. The figures cover harder substances only.

Major General Obuba quoted the study directly:

"Research conducted by the University of Ghana School of Public Health in 2025 estimated that there are 82,500 people who use hard substance in Ghana. Out of this, 16,300 are from the Ashanti Region."

HIV rates among subtance abusers

Beyond the headline figures, Major General Obuba drew attention to a secondary public health emergency connected to drug use.

The same University of Ghana study found that the HIV prevalence rate among drug users in the Ashanti Region stands at 6.6 per cent, a figure that dwarfs the national HIV prevalence rate of 1.4 per cent.

The NACOC chief attributed this stark gap to high-risk behaviours associated with illicit drug use, including needle-sharing and unsafe sexual conduct.

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NACOC calls for prevention and rehabilitation

Major General Obuba called on schools, families, and community leaders to step up public education efforts and build stronger support networks capable of shielding young people from addiction.

He stressed that addressing the crisis demands a dual approach: firm prevention measures alongside compassionate medical care and rehabilitation support.

He also urged Ghanaian youth to take ownership of their futures by making informed choices that protect their health and long-term prospects.

NACOC warns Ghanaian students over substance abuse

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) had warned that drug syndicates were increasingly targeting senior high schools and universities across Ghana.

Officials said substance abuse was becoming widespread on campuses, with some schools having already suspended students over drug-related offences.

NACOC said it was working with the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to train counsellors and intensify awareness campaigns to curb the growing threat.

Source: YEN.com.gh