The Prevalence and the Use of Opioids in Senior High Schools: Educational Planners’ Response

<p>Opioids are narcotics which are medications that help in alleviating pain. A physician can prescribe this medication to aid symptoms such as post-surgery pain, chronic pain, chronic diarrhea and severe coughing. This review explores the situation of alarming increase in opioid addiction risks among senior high school (SHS) students in Ghana, and how educational planning can respond appropriately. The review used the national data of the Food and Drugs Authority, Ghana Health Service, Narcotics Control Commission, and international documentations, such as BBC Africa investigations, to examine the patterns of prevalence, the underlying causes of drug use, the multidimensional consequences of drug use, and the effectiveness of current interventions that are utilized to manage the menace. It was found that about 25-30% of SHS students have used opioids in some experimental manner mostly as cognition enhancing drugs and also to deal with stress. The review showed that marijuana, tramadol and alcohol are the most commonly used in the Ghanaian Senior High Schools. Also, opioid use disorder has serious health, academic, and socioeconomic implications on learners. The impact of opioids on adolescents who use opioids are varied. It increases the risk of addition, it raises mental health concerns, negative impact on academic performance, relationship and general well-being of the individual. Although actions such as passing of laws like the NACOC Act and GES Drug-Free School Policy show a high degree of effort, there are major implementation shortcomings, limited resources, and coordination with stakeholders. Educational Planners are to intensify to drive policy and curriculum implementation in schools, help build the capacity of learners, staff and parents and there is the need to create pathways for crisis response and rehabilitation to drug use to help reduce this menace.</p>