By Alusine Fullah

Drugs (like Kush) and substance abuse by youths in Sierra Leone has assumed a worrisome dimension in our society. Indeed, it is in appreciation of the enormity of the menace and the need to ensure a lasting solution that the Sierra Leone set aside a day to fight against this menace. There are many factors that to the influence of drug abuse or addiction among the youths, namely peer groups, parental background (broken home), and emotional stress, among others. Its consequences among Sierra Leonean youths give a stigma of a morally bankrupt, decadent and wasted generation that must be revitalised and collectively salvaged.

Kushly, Sierra Leone is now in risk state. So in line with authorities in charge should apply risk communication in the fight against Kush. But fist what is Risk Communication? As the name implies, risk communication involves identifying, assessing, communicating, managing and monitoring the risk. Moreover, in his lecture note, Tanu Jalloh defined risk communication as the real-time exchange of information, advice and between experts, official and people who face a hazard or threat (like in the case of Sierra Leone we have Kush as health hazard).

In the context of Kush, behaviour change is highly needed. This can be done through by the application/ use of Behaviour Change Communication (BCC). By looks of things, we need to change the thought processes or the mind-set of Sierra Leoneans especially youths on the Kush intake. The behaviour of the Kush in takers needs to be changed. I opine the use of mob justice against Kush smokers should NO MORE take centre stage. The authorities in charge should consult communication experts on this fight.

Why the involvement of communication experts? They have communicative expertise in changing the mind set of Kush smokers. Those experts can go further and do research the kind of information the Kush smokers need in changing their mind sets of the Kush intake. Those can experts can do through community engagement approach. They can engage community stakeholders on further approaches in the fight against this menace. Their communicative prowess can move them further to engage the Kush smokers. During this engagement, they can communicate to them the health hazard of Kush.

For me the use of corporal approach or mob justice will have no better result but putting the worsen situation from the frying pan into the fire.