Deadly concoction of drugs laced with human remains leads to country-wide crisis due to its rapid proliferation
In the heart of West Africa, Sierra Leone is grappling with a crisis as President Julius Maada Bio declares a national emergency due to the rampant spread of the psychoactive drug Kush. This high-potency strain of cannabis, known for its similar effects to cannabis generally, has been linked to hundreds of deaths among young men in the country.
Kush, a substance containing human bones, synthetic drugs like fentanyl and tramadol, chemicals like formaldehyde, cannabis, herbs, and disinfectants, produces effects such as sensory distortions, relaxation, euphoria, altered perception of time, and increased sociability. However, it can also cause negative effects like anxiety, panic attacks, confusion, depression, and impaired motor coordination.
The causes of Kush use in Sierra Leone are multifaceted, with growing availability and cultivation of cannabis varieties, cultural practices, and socio-economic factors like poverty and unemployment contributing to its recreational or self-medicative use. However, detailed region-specific causes for Kush consumption in Sierra Leone are less documented.
The short-term effects of Kush include relaxation and feelings of well-being, enhanced emotional and sensory experiences, altered perception of time, increased appetite, impaired motor skills and coordination, anxiety, panic, confusion, or paranoia in some users, and the risk of accidents due to impaired judgment and coordination. Long-term use may lead to respiratory problems, decreased motivation and apathy, possible development of psychosis, mood and cognitive changes, including depression, lowered resistance to illnesses, and hormonal changes.
The crisis has led to a surge in admissions to the Psychiatric Hospital in Sierra Leone, with admissions linked to Kush surging by almost 4,000 per cent from 2020 to 2023. The nation's only drug rehab centre in Freetown, which opened this year with only 100 beds, is struggling to keep up.
In response, President Bio has directed officials to set up a National Task Force on Drugs and Substance Abuse to combat the Kush crisis. The President's plans to wage war on Kush include expanding police powers to raid suspected dealers and manufacturers. Meanwhile, the crackdown on Kush is pushing users further out of their communities and into drug hideouts in mangrove swamps.
As the ingredients to make Kush become harder to find, people are turning to increasingly dangerous methods of getting high. Vulnerable individuals are turning away from official resources towards independent 'kush healers'. The drug is now spreading to other West African countries, raising concerns about a regional epidemic.
However, the government's violent crackdown on Kush addresses the root causes of the crisis the least. The crisis stems from a complex interplay of social, economic, and cultural factors, with cannabis use often influenced by availability, traditional use patterns, and social acceptance, combined with challenges like poverty or lack of recreational alternatives that may drive use.
According to the World Health Organization, between 5.2 per cent and 13.5 per cent of young people in West and Central Africa are addicted to drugs. As the battle against Kush continues, it is crucial to address these underlying factors to effectively combat the crisis and protect the lives and wellbeing of the people of Sierra Leone.
- The rampant spread of psychotic drug Kush, which contains cannabis, has been linked to a surge in mental-health issues in Sierra Leone's Psychiatric Hospital, with admissions linked to Kush surging by almost 4,000 per cent from 2020 to 2023.
- As the crisis in Sierra Leone deepens, it is important to understand that the root causes of the Kush use are multifaceted, with factors such as poverty, unemployment, cultural practices, and the availability of cannabis varieties playing significant roles, as outlined by the World Health Organization.
