Bawku Senior High Students Warned Against Drug Abuse

Mr Richard Emmanuel Avadetsi, Deputy Director of Nursing Services at the Psychiatric Unit of the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital, has warned students of the Bawku Senior High School against abuse of drugs especially Tramadol.

Mr Avadetsi noted that in recent times drugs such as Tramadol have been abused by the youth, especially students, and said its effects on society were worrying.

Mr Avadetsi said Tramadol was a hard pain reliever which when over used or abused for a period of time made the user addicted to the drug and brought about serious health hazards.

Mr Avadetsi explained that when one reaches the stage of addiction, the drug controls the nervous systems and destabilizes it, and at this stage the user becomes distressed which led to various health and social hazards.

Mr Avadetsi who addressed students of the Bawku Senior High School on Thursday at Bawku in the Upper East Region as part of the Psychiatric Unit’s outreach programmes to sensitize students and the general public on the dangers of drug abuse, especially the use of Tramadol urged the students to avoid using the drug.

He noted that Tramadol as a drug affected the respiratory systems and brought about convulsion, epilepsy, and could lead to liver Cirrhosis.

Again, he noted that one could develop kidney and kidney related problems because the drug would not allow the system to work effectively, indicating that it has psychological effects on abusers.

Mr Avadetsi pointed out that the perception that tramadol could help one to stay focused during studies was wrong, because that was not the purpose for which it was manufactured, and added that the negative effect on the human body was enormous.

He called on stakeholders including the clergy, government institutions and other development organizations to help fight the menace as it was wasting lives of the youth who were the driving force for the nation’s development.

The Headmaster of the School, Mr Bismark-Simon Kpuli, commended the Psychiatric Unit for their timely intervention on such social canker and reminded the students of their dreams to become responsible adults in future.

He therefore urged them to stay away from drugs to achieve their ambitions.

Source: GNA