Citizens Call For Urgent Action Against Kush

By Edwina Sia Janga

What has been a cause for concern among citizens is the massive abuse of drugs in the country by youths, especially the drug ‘Kush’. This situation has led the country’s psychologist in charge of Mental Home at Kissy, Dr. Jalloh to say that the nation is losing its next generation to drug abuse, specifically Kush.

According to data of death from Kush recorded at the country’s central Mortuary, some 60 youths have died between January and May of this year, and the age range is from 10 to 45 years. This is alarming, considering the huge number of viral videos on social media of youths high on Kush. It is no secret that Kush has taken over the drug market in Sierra Leone, with youths taking the lead in the population of drug abusers, and most disheartening is the fact that girls are also involved in this dangerous act.

According to Dr. Jalloh and other doctors in the country, the Kush that is being sold in the country is a mixture of a variety of chemicals, including items like particles of bone of the dead, formalin and other dangerous chemicals. All these are mixed with the kush to give the users instant highness. It is therefore not surprising to see young people high on kush, sleeping even while standing. According to some observers, the kush does not make them fall, but simply keeps them still in whatever position they find themselves. There are instances where some youths have been seen standing and sleeping on the streets. These have to be led out of harm’s way by passing civilians.

Unfortunately, Dr. Jalloh says that lab technicians have not been able to clearly identify the respective substances paired with the Kush. He disclosed that the duty of his hospital is to provide help to drug abusers through rehabilitation and other psychosocial activities. He lamented that the Human resource to address this menace is far inadequate, disclosing that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has only 14 staff, and that a rehab centre established at the Kissy Mental Home is yet to commence full operations because of the absence of adequate facilities and equipment, plus trained staff to man them.

Many Sierra Leoneans buttressed Dr. Jalloh’s recommendation that the supply and demand sector be targeted to curb this menace. Dr. Jalloh noted that Kush is addictive and to reduce it there is the need for an addictive expert, which the country does not have currently. He furthered that dealing with this drug demands the involvement of all sectors of society. Parents should be regularly observing their kids, and if they discover that they are mostly quiet in their behaviour, and eat more than the normal, they should be concerned, and take the necessary steps to get medical attention before it gets too late. He noted that drugs like Kush and marijuana give the users more appetite, whilst alcohol reduces their appetites. He, however, affirmed that Kush is more dangerous than marijuana, as seen in its destructive nature, furthering that Kush destroys all the body system of the user, hence the reason for swellings of the feet and hands. He hastened to say that they could not say for certain the cause of the sores on the bodies of the users, as that requires more research into the type of chemical mixture of the drug. According to him, this type of Kush used by youths in this country defers from that used in the USA and other countries, because it is combined with chemicals.

Concerned citizens are calling on the authorities to declare Kush a National Heath Emergency, and institute measures to stop its importation into the country. They also say that the users should not be punished, as they desperately need help to get them off the drug, but called for the importers and dealers in the drug trade to be arrested and prosecuted. To many, there seemed to be a cartel behind this trade, as recent arrest and confiscation of vehicles with huge consignment of Kush were nabbed at the Guinean side of the border, after they had all been given the green light on the Sierra Leonean side of the border to go.