France, May 6 -- An alarming surge in opioid abuse among Ghana's youth is raising red flags for health authorities, as addiction to these powerful painkillers spirals into a growing public health crisis.

Ghanaian youth are increasingly abusing opioids, commonly used to treat pain but highly addictive and dangerous when misused. Social media videos have highlighted the alarming reality, showing many young people in a distressed state after using the drug, known as "Red".

Destroying lives

A 20-year-old abuser of opioids, Ekow Annan, who is based in the Western Region of the country, said in an interview with RFI: "I am a mason, I do hard work and therefore need extra energy for what I do, that is why I used opioids."

Another abuser, Cha...