The Deputy Accra Regional Commander of the Narcotics Control Commission (NCC), Reas Hakim Oduro, has sounded the alarm about a concerning surge in drug addiction among the youth in Ghana. The revelation made by Deputy Commander Oduro shed light on a growing problem that demands immediate attention and effective interventions.

He found it worrying that some youth have become dependent on hard drugs which, to them, give them an inexplicable euphoric feeling.

Speaking to host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' programme, Mr. Hakim Oduro disclosed that the drug addicts are not just using marijuana and herion but have advanced to using other products that contain psychoactive elements.

He shocked the panel on 'Kokrokoo' Monday morning revealing that the addicts are now sniffing sanitary pads and petrol to "get high".

He stated they use sanitary pads "because of the chemical they use to produce it. It has some elements of psychoactive that people are now shifting to that one too. New substances keep coming up...even with female nail polish, people are using it. Petrol, people are using it; anything that can penetrate your brain to make you high or give you a euphoric feeling but the effects are also there".

He also revealed that some of them are now blowing "laughing gas" from balloons.

"They use nitrous oxide which is contained in small canisters like fire extinguisher . . . So, they will pour the laughing gas into a balloon and blow it into their mouths," he said.

Mr. Reas Hakim Oduro however noted that the drug addicts can be rehabilitated through awareness and patiently advising them to stop their addiction.