Youth Hub, a weekly youth-focused radio show on Info Radio, in its last edition, has found that social factors were the leading causes of drug and substance abuse and addiction among people.
This came to light as show host Vivian Danuor engaged officials from the Upper West Regional Office of the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) for the second time on the topic of Drugs and Substance Abuse on the show.
The officials spoke under conditions of anonymity for professional and ethical reasons.
An official said some people abuse drugs because they want to belong to a group, even though they may originally not be exposed to drugs but that by virtue of their belongingness to a peer group, they use drugs and substances in order to fit well in the group.
He also said that some people use drugs because their immediate family members or members are substance users.
He added that others use drugs and substances because they believed that it could help to overcome or forget about family pressures and problems.
The NACOC official indicated that drug and substance abuse has dire consequences on the health of the victim and even poses greater effects on the larger society.
He said that people who abuse drugs and substances often have their inner vital organs like the liver, lungs and heart destroyed as a result of the substances which can lead to chronic illnesses and ultimate death.
He added that it leads to financial bankruptcy as people drain their money on drugs, and further leads to stealing. He noted that the actions and inactions of people under the influence of drugs pose great hazards to even the sane population.
He noted there have been established a number of rehabilitation centres where drug addicts could seek support to do away with substances.
However, he lamented that people refuse to seek support from the centres because they wrongfully hold the notion that they would get arrested if they report to the centres for support.
He allayed those fears and urged addicts to freely walk to any of the centres nationwide for support.