About 11.4 per cent of university stu­dents in the north have been involved in misuse of tramadol before.Out of the number, 24 per cent of them exhib­ited signs of dependence, according to the Journal of Substance Use and Addiction Research, an international research journal.In a speech read on his behalf at a Stakehold­ers Strategy Mapping Meeting on Combating Drug Abuse held here on Monday, the Northern Regional Minister, Mr Ali Adolf John Nburidiba, lamented the trend, and called for drastic mea­sures to deal with the menace.• Stakeholders at the meetingThe Minister said the findings highlighted the susceptibility of young people to substance abuse and its potential consequences for the region's socio-economic stability.The meeting brought together key stakeholders in the region to discuss strategies and ways to address drug abuse in the region.He said the government was committed to combating drug abuse and emphasised the need for collaborative efforts to address the canker.The minister said tackling drug abuse demand­ed a collaborative approach, involving govern­ment agencies, NGOs, religious and traditional leaders, educational institutions, and individual citizens.He, therefore, called for commitment and determination, underscoring the crucial role collective action played in ensuring the region's health and future well-being.Mr Nburidiba also advised the youth in the region to desist from taking tramadol and other substances to stay healthy since they were future leaders of the region.The Northern Regional Security Liaison Officer, Mr Adams Mohammed, said the drug abuse menace in the region among the youth was alarming hence the need to combat it.He said statistics available to his outfit includ­ed a 28 per cent rise in drug-related arrests with 1,200 school dropouts linked to the drug menace.Mr Adams also called for more collaborative response that would go beyond security agen­cies, adding that the complexity of the menace required several proposed actions.These actions according to him, included the formation of a Regional Drug Abuse Preven­tion Task Force, joint enforcement operations, community sensitisation campaigns, youth engagement programmes, and intelligence-sharing roundtables."Through these initiatives, the importance of collective action, decisive measures, and a united front to effectively combat the drug abuse crisis would be achieved," he stated.He said by working together, stakeholders could develop a strategic and multi-faceted approach to tackle the pressing issue.FROM YAHAYA NUHU NADAA, TAMALE