Abuse of RED drug: We need a relook at law on how pharmacies are established – PSG

RED, the deadly combination of tapentadol and carisoprodol, which is a type of opioid is a drug combination linked to several health risks, including addiction, overdose, and even death.

The prevalence of RED drug abuse in Ghana is alarming, prompting government to launch a national campaign against its use. The Executive Secretary of Pharmaceuticals Society of Ghana (PSG), Dr Dennis Sena Awitty has called for a strict enforcement of regulation governing the use of the unapproved medicines like opioids or RED in the country.

His call follows the rising concerns regarding the misuse of the drugs which has adverse effect on the health of the youth.

In an interview with 3news, he advocated the importance of Pharmacies to have certified pharmacists in charge of health facilities to ensure a reduction in the selling of the unapproved drugs.

“As long as there is a documented proof that some pharmacies sell these drugs, then anyone will make assertions of their contribution to the abuse of the drugs in the country. You see, the way we run healthcare in Ghana, especially direct to patient care, is something that has to be looked at.

“A businessman who has money, can engage a young pharmacist to help him fix up a pharmacy and run it as a business without engaging the professional services of the pharmacist and that is a big challenge and so if we want to make headway, we need to ensure that community retail pharmacies have primary healthcare providers. We need to look at the law on the establishment of pharmacies to check all these unapproved drugs that find their way onto the markets and the pharmacies” he emphasized om March 31.

The general public as well as the youth have been cautioned against the use of hard drugs, particularly RED, emphasizing the dangers involved and the need for collective action to address the issue.

The post Abuse of RED drug: We need a relook at law on how pharmacies are established – PSG first appeared on 3News.

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