A study by the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi is calling for urgent policy and community-level interventions to address alarming levels of Tramadol abuse among young people in Ghana’s urban slums.

Published in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, the research highlights widespread nonmedical use of Tramadol in the Asawase and Aboabo communities of the Asokore Mampong Municipality.

Youth were found to consume the opioid in dangerously high doses, often mixing it with other psychoactive substances.

The study revealed that Tramadol is commonly used by slum-dwelling youth to fight tiredness, relieve pain, boost sexual performance, and elevate mood.

Easy access, affordability, and weak enforcement of drug control measures were identified as key drivers of the trend.