Tramadol is an opioid substance similar to morphine, but in high doses it becomes addictive. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, consumption of this opioid in West Africa is higher than the world average.
Tramadol presents a high risk of dependence, says Médecins du monde project manager Mathieu Hié. Seizures are still significant, as explained by Dr. Amado Philip de Andrés, representative of the UNODC for West and Central Africa.