The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has proposed the introduction of mandatory drug testing for students seeking admission into universities as part of efforts to curb substance abuse among young people.
The proposal, which would apply to both public and private universities, forms part of the Commission’s broader strategy to detect drug use early and reduce the prevalence of substance abuse on university campuses.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Thursday, July 30, 2026, NACOC’s Deputy Director-General in charge of Enforcement, Control and Elimination, Alexander Twum-Barimah, said the Commission would seek legal backing to make drug screening a compulsory requirement for university admission.
“We are pushing, and I know government is pushing that there should even be legal backing for us to be testing almost everybody on every other thing,” he said.
Mr Twum-Barimah explained that the proposal would build on the medical examinations already required by many universities for newly admitted students.
“When we are admitted, we do the medical. Part of that medical background should be your drug test. So now we can know those who are coming in on a high level of drugs or those who are not coming in on drugs,” he said.
He added that NACOC was also proposing compulsory drug testing for graduates before they begin their National Service to discourage drug use before they enter the labour market.
“If I know that today I am in Level 100, by the time I finish Level 400 and go to do my National Service, I am going to do a drug test. If I don’t do the drug test, I cannot do my National Service. Will I still be on drugs? The answer is no,” he stated.
According to Mr Twum-Barimah, the proposal is intended to build on the compulsory drug screening introduced this year for applicants seeking recruitment into the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Prisons Service and the Ghana National Fire Service.
He disclosed that more than 100,000 applicants were screened during the recruitment exercise, with about 6,000 testing positive for prohibited substances, including cocaine, heroin, cannabis, methamphetamine and opioids.
He said the results underscored the need for earlier intervention by identifying drug use before students enter tertiary institutions or join the workforce.
Mr Twum-Barimah also expressed concern about increasing drug abuse in educational institutions, alleging that some students were selling cannabis-infused food, drinks and confectionery to their colleagues.
He identified peer influence as one of the leading factors contributing to drug use among young people, noting that senior students often introduced younger colleagues to narcotic substances.
Despite advocating stricter screening measures, Mr Twum-Barimah stressed that legislation and mandatory testing alone would not solve Ghana’s drug abuse problem.
He called on parents, schools, religious organisations and communities to play active roles in preventing substance abuse among young people.
“This fight cannot just be left to the Commission alone. We are just a handful compared to the population of the country,” he said.
He added that NACOC was working with the Ministry of Education, guidance and counselling coordinators in second-cycle schools and religious organisations to strengthen drug prevention education.
Mr Twum-Barimah also appealed to the public to volunteer information on drug trafficking and abuse, assuring them that the identities of informants would be protected.
“I can assure them that anybody who makes a report to us, your identity will forever be concealed and we will never expose you to any person,” he said.
He urged Ghanaians to treat the fight against drug abuse as a shared national responsibility, stressing that its effects extend beyond users to families, communities and public safety.
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