VIDEO: Marijuana is safer than Tramadol - KK Fosu

Highlife singer KK Fosu has proposed the legalisation of marijuana (weed) in Ghana as a safer alternative to the use of prescription drug Tramadol.

Officials in Ghana are alarmed at the rate at which young people are abusing Tramadol (a pain-killer) but KK Fosu (known in private life as Kakyire Kwame Fosu) believes the legalisation of marijuana could stem the tide.

Tramadol is a man-made synthetic narcotic pain reliever and it is usually prescribed to patients suffering from moderate to severe pain. The approved dosage strength for tramadol by Ghana’s Food and Drugs Authority is 50mg and 100mg.

But it has emerged that the dosages being abused are much higher, ranging from 120mg to 225mg.

Adding his voice to the campaign against the abuse of Tramadol, Fosu urged the Ghanaian government to legalise Marijuana because it is much healthier than Tramadol which he said is deadly.

In an interview on Kasapa FM’s mid-morning show, hosted by Pomaa Kyekyeku, he said Junior High School students favour Tramadol because it is not easily detected by a smell.

KK Fosu admitted that he used Marijuana in the past but is against the use of harmful narcotics such as cocaine.

He said in Ghana and the world over a lot of people using Marijuana which has been legalised in some US states and in Canada.

KK Fosu also blamed the weak administration of the Food and Drugs Authority for the prevalence of Tramadol abuse in the country.

He, however, commended pharmacists who insist on prescriptions before selling medicines to their clients.

Watch KK Fosu's interview below;

Ghanaian law prohibits the use of narcotic drugs

According to Section 5 of the Narcotic Drugs (Control, Enforcement and Sanctions) Law - 1990 (PNDCL 236);

(1) No person shall without lawful authority or excuse smoke, sniff, consume, inject in his body or otherwise administer narcotic drug on his body.

(2) Any person who without lawful authority injects any person with, or in any manner administers narcotic drug to any person commits an offence.

(3) A person convicted for an offence under subsection (1) or (2) is liable to be sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than five years.