[CLSTR]
< Back to situations

We’ll email you as it develops, and you can follow the whole thread from day one.

[SITUATION] · [ACTIVE]

3 clusters · 6 sources · 3 days · First seen · Last updated

Categories: HEALTH

Ghana drug‑infused food abuse

Entities: Zion Felix · JoyNews · Ghana · Narcotics Control Commission (Ghana) · Alexander Twum‑Barimah

Overview

Health officials in Ghana first reported a rising practice of mixing narcotics—such as marijuana and opioids—into everyday foods, including instant noodles, stews, cakes and doughnuts. The hidden‑in‑food method makes consumption harder to detect, especially among young people, and raises concerns about unknown dosages and delayed effects.

In response, Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) launched a public‑awareness push, partnering with digital influencer Zion Felix to disseminate drug‑free messages on social media. Deputy Director‑General Alexander Twum‑Barimah praised the JoyNews documentary series “Deadly Doses II” for exposing the trend and called for broader media collaboration to curb the abuse and protect communities.

In July 2026 the partnership was formalised, with Twum‑Barimah urging Felix to use his platforms for evidence‑based information and highlighting the documentary’s role in raising public awareness. NACOC also disclosed that more than 6,000 applicants for Ghana’s security services failed mandatory drug screenings, testing positive for cocaine, heroin, cannabis, opioids and methamphetamine, underscoring a wider drug challenge beyond food‑infused substances. The situation continues to evolve from early warnings about a novel abuse channel to an organized, multi‑faceted effort targeting youths and broader drug detection in Ghana.

Timeline

  1. 1 day ago

    [HEALTH] 4 sources
    Ghana's NACOC partners with influencer to curb youth drug use, cites 6,000 security applicant failures

    Ghana's Narcotics Control Commission partnered with influencer Zion Felix for a youth drug‑free campaign and reported over 6,000 security service applicants failing drug tests for cocaine, heroin, cannabis, opi

  2. 4 days ago

    [HEALTH] 3 sources
    Ghana Narcotics Control Commission Boosts Youth Drug Awareness via Influencer Partnership and Documentary Praise

    Ghana's Narcotics Control Commission teams with influencer Zion Felix and praises a JoyNews documentary to intensify youth drug‑prevention messaging and seek broader media support.

  3. 4 days ago

    [HEALTH] 2 sources
    Ghana faces surge in drug‑infused food consumption, including instant noodles

    Ghana health officials warn that drug users are mixing narcotics into everyday foods like instant noodles, stews and baked goods, making abuse harder to detect and raising safety concerns.

Sources

adomonline.com · ghanamma.com · myjoyonline.com · thevoicenewsmagazine.com · todaygh.com · upsa.edu.gh

This summary has been updated 1 time: see revision history