Deadly Doses II: Psychiatrist narrates how a class three boy became a drug addict
Dr. Ruth Owusu Antwi, a psychiatrist, revealed that her youngest patient treated for substance abuse at her facility began using drugs while in Primary Three. Speaking to JoyNews on the Hotline documentary, Deadly Doses II: Ghana's Growing Drug Crisis, Dr. Owusu Antwi stated, "The youngest patient started using drugs. In fact, he was recently on the ward. He started using drugs at Class Three. That's Primary Three."
According to Dr. Owusu Antwi, the young boy became addicted after repeatedly watching older people smoke near his school. He would collect the remaining pieces out of curiosity after they left. What began as curiosity turned into addiction because of the effect the drugs had on the child, making him "happy with the effect it gave him." The child continued using the drug "one piece at a time" until he required psychiatric treatment. He was seen on the ward when he was around 13 years old and was discharged "a week ago." Dr. Owusu Antwi stated this case reflects a worrying trend in Ghana's growing substance abuse crisis.
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A Ghanaian psychiatrist shares a concerning case of a young boy's early exposure to drugs, highlighting the escalating issue of substance abuse
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