A sixteen-year-old boy ended his life, after abusing nine tablets of 'RED 225' in an illicit drug abuse competition' at Chiras in the Sunyani West Municipality.

According to Dr Philip Anokye, the Clinical Coordinator at the Chiraa Government Hospital, the incident happened about three months ago and the deceased had since been buried.

Speaking in an interview with Sompa FM, Dr Anokye explained that when the deceased was brought to the facility, he (deceased) was very weak, and had experienced some seizures in the body system.

He said: "We try our best to revive him, after initiating our emergency protocols, however he passed on due to the high level of dose".

Dr Anokye expressed worry about the growing illicit drug abuse among young people in the area, saying the situation was even worse during occasion days like funerals and others, and called on stakeholders to help bring the situation under control and save the precious lives of the youth.

"In fact, have recorded cases of many young people taking in wee toffees as well as alcoholic disorders and other related illicit drug abuses", he stated, adding that the preliminary investigations showed those who abused the illicit drugs did so for euphoric effects".

Nonetheless, Dr Anokye said health personnel at the facility had intensified public education on the effects of illicit drug abuse, and called for public support, saying the component of the "Red 225 is very dangerous and we must do more to stop the abuses"

Sompaonline.com/ Afriyie Solomon