Ghana Should Review GNDPS Regulations – Director

Mr Issah Ali, the Executive Director of Vision for Alternative Development (VALD), a civil society organisation has called for the review of the Ghana’s Narcotics Drug and Psychotropic Substances regulations.

He said this was to help meet the current United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) Outcome Document on drugs.

The UNGASS document demands reduction (prevention and treatment), supply reduction (law enforcement, drug-related crime and countering money laundering), human rights of vulnerable groups and communities, and effective policies on criminal justice system.

The rest are emerging challenges in substance abuse, economic alternative and international cooperation (financial, technical, data and intelligence.)

Mr Ali made the call when he made a presentation at the 6th World Forum Against Drugs (WFAG) in Gothenburg, Sweden on Tuesday and copied to the Ghana News Agency.

The topic was: “The Global Drugs Policy and It Implications on the Ground in Ghana.”

He said campaigners against narcotic drugs should regularly conduct sensitization to target celebrities and prominent citizens while activities of vested commercial interest for the legalization of cannabis should be monitored and exposed.

Mr Ali urged narcotics drug regulators to expedite action on the accreditation of treatment and rehabilitation centres for drug users or addicts within the primary healthcare system, adding that 50 per cent or more of the confiscated properties of drug dealers should be retain as internally generated income for prevention programmes, treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts.

He asked drug control community to support the development of a Framework Convention on Alcohol Control and adopt a consolidated approach on alcohol prevention and tobacco control into existing and new drug control programmes

The Director called on the international community to consider providing technical, logistical and other support to countries including Ghana to strengthen and expand its drug control plans.

Mr Ali encouraged civil society organisation to intensify campaign against the legalisation of cannabis.

Source: GNA