Head of Communications of the Mental
Health Authority, Kwaku Brobbey has expressed fears about the excessive intake
of alcohol and illicit drugs is contributing significantly to mental illness
among the youth and called for a coordinated action to address the situation.
“Statistics that we have from the
World Health Organisation (WHO) affirms that alcohol and drug abuse, we usually
call that substance abuse, is one of the major contributors to mental health
among the youth, particularly here in Ghana,” he said.
While expressing worry about the
situation, Mr. Brobbey said the growing number of advertisements on alcoholic
beverages and the manner in which they are presented, is enticing the youth, adding
that the situation could worsen if action is not taken.
He also stated that there is an
increasing rate of substance abuse in the Brong Ahafo and the Western Regions.
Early this month, the Regional
Mental Health Coordinator in the Brong-Ahafo Region, Mr. Joseph Yere, said
alcoholism was contributing to mental health disorders in the region.
He appealed for concerted efforts to
deal with the excessive intake of alcohol among the youth.
Speaking at a stakeholders meeting
in Sunyani, Mr. Yere said out of the about 4,000 cases of mental illnesses
recorded in the region from January to June this year, 403 cases were due to
alcoholism.
He said other substances abuse such
as tramadol and Indian hemp were also Impacting the mental health of people in
the region.
The James Lartey, has also expressed
concern about the negative effects of advertisement of alcoholic beverages on
children, who are now craving for such products.
According to him, the situation
where very young children have messages on alcoholic products deeply imprinted
on their minds is worrying.
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