Declaration of National Emergency on Kush—Sierra Leoneans Urge H.E Bio

By Alusine Fullah

Shaky they stood! ‘Kushed’ they bent!! Sleepy they lied!!! I almost burst into tears when I saw my fellow youths in GRIM condition at the Sierra Leone’s psychiatric Hospital, Kissy in the East of Freetown. I am profoundly concerned about the detrimental impact of Kush on the youth of Sierra Leone. A civil right activist, Robinson Sesay Snr. (Big Brother) Founder and Chief Executive Officer YouthBuild SL. Wrote: “The pictorial evidence I have gathered vividly illustrates the destructive consequences of Kush consumption, including its effects on physical and mental health, education, and social well-being.”

A new drug that appeared around 5 years ago is wreaking havoc among young people in Sierra Leone: Kush, a mixture of chemicals that mimics cannabis. In this West African country, one of the poorest in the world, you only need 23 Euro cents to treat yourself to an hour-long trance.

As a journalist, it has been a norm for me to take a leg walk to places like universities, schools, hospitals, etc. But, this time, I visited Sierra Leone’s psychiatric hospital that is located at Kissy Community few days to have first-hand information about the mental impact of Kush on those that have been admitted. Oh really, it was very appalling!! I saw GRIM pictures and I saw the victims of Kush in hell. They lied on sick beds like sardines or to the worst like ordinary slaves.

During this process, I spoke with many people. But first, I spoke with the acting medical superintendent and resident psychiatrist, Jusu Mittia about the alarming state of Kush. It sounds unbelievable! Mr. Mattia almost set tears. The hospital is swamped with young addicts brought in by families desperate for help. He muttered: “Sixty percent of the hospital’s admissions are Kush-related. As you can see in this substance abuse unit, dozens of Kush patients lay on beds.” The hospital “receives patients that are at the extreme end — they are intoxicated, or they are psychotic,” he added. Persse, I did not visit Sierra Leone’s psychiatric hospital because of journalism, but I did that as a nation that is dying or swimming in the sea of Kush. A nation that needs URGENT ACTION in the fight against Kush! A nation that is COMPLETELY DROWING of Kush!

The images reveal the alarming prevalence of Kush use among our youth, highlighting the urgent need for action. Kush addiction is not only jeopardizing the future of our youth but also posing a significant threat to the stability and prosperity of our nation.

Therefore, the people of Sierra Leone and I are humbly asking President Julius Maada Bio to declare State of National Health Emergency on Kush. This declaration will enable us to mobilize resources and implement comprehensive measures to address this pressing issue, including education, prevention, treatment, and law enforcement initiatives.

I call upon President Bio to wake up now and declare A STATE OF NATIONAL HEALTH EMERGENCY ON KUSH. Apart from him, I also ask government agencies, Civil Society Organizations, and international partners, to join hands in combating the Kush epidemic and safeguarding the health and well-being of our youths.

Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia are grappling with an increasing number of young people becoming addicted to a substance known as Kush or K2. Abuse of the drug has already killed several people in the region according to Global mental health expert, Dr. Abdul Jalloh. Honestly, among the three countries, Sierra Leone is the hardest hit!!It’s a substance rolled up and smoked like a cigarette or cannabis. But the illegal synthetic drug known as Kush is not to be mistaken with the synonymous marijuana strain. Rising cases in Sierra Leone and Guinea have shown that the drug is dangerous: After a few puffs, the consumer is left stoned, unable to stand upright. Yet despite the aftereffects — which include falling, body injuries, and loss of self-esteem — users still search for an opportunity to obtain more.

“I smoke Kush. When there was no Kush, I smoked jamba [marijuana]… “So I feel good and even dizzy. After I smoke and feel good, I take my one energy drink,” a 19 year old user who chose to remain anonymous said.

For the past months, social media in West Africa especially in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea is awash with photos and video clips showing young men, including security officers, caught in embarrassing situations after consuming the drug.

Sierra Leone’s neighbour, Guinea, is seriously battling to contain an increase in the consumption of Kush. Authorities say that more than ten young men have died after taking the substance. Many others are undergoing medical treatments due to side effects.

“I smoked Kush with one of my friends. We were taken to the hospital unconscious,” former Kush addict Alpha Barry spoke with me on a phone call.

“My friend was chewing his tongue until he died while we were at the hospital. So I’m warning the Guinean youth to avoid Kush… so I’m warning the Guinean youth to avoid Kush,” “Kush is something that destroys human beings. It kills and has killed many people in Guinea,” he added.

The New Republic of Liberia reported about the alarming state of Kush in Liberia. The report stated: “According to our reporter who visited the scene following the incident, a 20 year old man identified as Teddyrai popular known as Real Boy died few days ago after reportedly taking in Kush, a dangerous substance that is killing lots of young people at the highest rate in Liberia. “Kush,” referred to by its users as See the Devil’s Face is a dangerous narcotic substance that is being brought into the country by drug importers and is being sold in various ghettos across the country.

Early last month, residents of 20^th Street, Sinkor woke up to the death news of a young man identified as Teddyrai after it was alleged that he had taken in the dangerous drug the evening before his demise. It is also reported that three other young men earlier died from the use of ‘Kush’ around the same Sinkor belt in recent days. “We are afraid and want government timely intervention now because our children are dying daily,” said one of the Sinkor residents. According to residents of Sinkor and surrounding areas, the situation is alarming as the Kush drug is killing lots of young men and women at very alarming rate.”

Back home (Sierra Leone), in order to drastically combat drugs abuse, the National Drugs Control Act was established in 2008. The agency was enacted to perform the following functions:

Providing leadership in and coordinating all issues relating to drug control, eradicating drug abuse and the primary causes of drug abuse, illicit drug supply and drug-related crime; Coordinating all drug-related regulatory enforcement and prosecution functions conferred on any person or authority by any enactment; Developing and effectively implementing the national drug control strategy; Encouraging and strengthening co-operation between the office of the Attorney-General, the Sierra Leone Police, the National Review Authority, Immigration Department, Ministries of Social Welfare, Health, Transport and Aviation, Internal Affairs, local councils, prisons Department, other law enforcement agencies and non-governmental organizations, in addressing issues of drug control, reducing the drug abuse and its primary causes, and combating illicit drug supply and drug-relating crimes.

To make the aforementioned act more effective, part three gives provision for drug abuse, drug trafficking and related offences. Section seven states:

A person who, without lawful authority: (a) prepares, extracts, manufactures, produces or cultivates a prohibited drug; (b) collects, transports, imports, exports, tranships or transmits any prohibited drug; (c) supplies, administers, sells, exposes or offers for sale or otherwise deals in or with any prohibited drug. A person commits an offence and is liable on conviction to life imprisonment.

Section eight which gives provision for the prohibition of possession and use of drugs states: a person who, without lawful authority- (a) buys, sells possesses or has under his control, any drug or uses any drug by smoking, inhaling, sniffing, injecting or otherwise introduces the drug into his body or (b) injects any person with or in any manner administers a drug to any person, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not less than five years

Apart from the foregoing act, Section 48 (1) of Pharmacy and Drugs Act 2001 states: “No person shall have in his possession without lawful excuse proof of which shall be on him, any opium or Indian hemp of any species or description whatsoever or any residue thereof.”

To address the multifaceted challenge posed by the illicit drug trade, lawmakers are also taking proactive measures. Some members of the country’s legislative body have called upon the Youth Minister Affairs, Mohamed Orman Bangura, to draft and present a comprehensive position paper to the House. This paper will outline strategic approaches and measures to effectively tackle the spread of the illicit drug. It begs the question, has this approach started?

Dr. David Moinina Sengeh Sierra Leone’s Chief Minister has brought together over 40 social agents and decision-makers to look at immediate and long-term approaches to dealing with drug addiction as a public health concern.

Among these actors are government ministers, mental health experts, civil society organizations, and media practitioners. Meanwhile, while delivering his statement, he said the engagement resulted from a cabinet conclusion that sought to find a national approach to dealing with issues of Kush, drug addiction, and mental health concerns generally, instead of taking a unilateral decision but emphasized that the government was not shying away from approaching it as a public health emergency.

The Chief Minister observed that the engagements were critical to dealing with public health crises generally through the Public Health Agency, adding that the cabinet had also agreed that the Ministry of Internal Affairs would work with the Office of Attorney General to harmonize laws on drug enforcement administration.

Chief of Staff in the Office of His Excellency, President Julius Maada Bio, who until recently was Executive Director of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency, Abdul Sheku Kargbo, gave a situation analysis of addictions among young people, explained the component of some of the substances and proposed four approaches to dealing with the crisis.

“The Kush that we see around is very potent because it is chemically induced and, therefore, very dangerous. Whereas normal cannabis has 3 percent of the intoxicant ingredient, Kush is 4 times more potent. We have done some tests to also find out that the Tramadol they take is over 250 milligrams, instead of the normal 50mg. Therefore, a knee-jerk reaction will not solve the problem. We must ensure supply reduction through law enforcement agencies; demand reduction through preventions and outreach; build capacity by providing resources for drug control entities and finally embark on research to produce the data that will inform long-term interventions,” he said.

Global mental health expert, Dr. Abdul Jalloh, shared some statistics to provide contexts around the seriousness of the situation, stating that the Sierra Leone Psychiatric Teaching Hospital in Freetown had seen a growing number of affected young people between the ages of 20 and 35. He said it was even worrying now that they had gotten some cases from primary schools. The introduction of by-laws and the employment of audio visuals to raise awareness of the dangers of abuse and addiction while popularizing efforts at eradicating the scourge.

Other contributors from civil society groups, interest groups, and the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mohamed Lamin Tarawalley Esq, agreed on the use of the law as a punitive measure and other community and public engagements.

“This is becoming an epidemic and a generational problem”, the Minister of Justice…We cannot continue to send young people to the already overcrowded jails for drug-related offenses because they will come out again and become offenders.”

Late last year (2023), Sierra Leone’s Minister of Internal Affairs, Retired Major General, David T. O. Taluva informed that he had presented a paper to cabinet on tackling drug abuse. He said: “The devastating effects of Kush cannot be overstated. Today some of us are ministers. In future, some of these young people should be the ministers and other heads in various MDAs. However, they should be ready, willing and able to face the challenges ahead…it is high time we ended Kush smoking…”

Apart from the above event that was organized by the Chief Minister, Parliamentary Deputy Leader of Government Business 2, Emerson Lamina made a call on the minister of Youth Affairs, Mohamed Orman Bangura to introduce a policy on Kush. He made this call/statement on August 8 2023 during the debate on the approval of the fourth set of nominees. He said: “The house wants to see a policy on Kush and how we can contain Kush…” He furthered that the substance is greatly affecting youths, stressing that he is looking forward to receiving a policy on Kush from the minister of youths to the cabinet, assuring him of parliament’s support to making that a reality.

The use of Kush is becoming unbecoming in West Africa especially in Sierra Leone. In Sierra Leone, authorities and United Nations have expressed concerns especially because those who consume the substance are mostly youths who are secondary school dropouts, with 73% of them living in the urban or peril-urban areas, and many of them facing mental issues or perishing in squalor. According to the West Africa Epidemiology Network on Drug Use (WAENDU) 2023 report, marijuana related mental health cases presented to the Kissy Psychiatric Hospital dropped, while Kush-induced cases have increased exponentially by more than 2,000% in this year.

Moreover, late 2023, in a compelling Twitter thread, renowned BBC Reporter, Umaru Fofana, shed light on the concern and blemished the state of mental health in Sierra Leone, highlighting the alarming rise in the use of the synthetic drug known as Kush. Fofana points out that a staggering 92% of drug users are men, primarily aged between 20 and 34, many of whom are secondary school students residing in urban areas. The once healthy and strong young men are falling victim to this epidemic, leaving families and communities devastated.

The situation is particularly worrisome on university and college campuses, where drug use has notably increased, impacting even upper-middle-class professionals. This pervasive drug abuse threatens the well-being of Sierra Leone’s future generation. Urging a collective response to address the mental health crisis, Fofana passionately calls for open discussions about depression and other mental health issues. “Depression is real! Come forward and discuss it with someone you trust. In fact, mental health should be declared an emergency in Sierra Leone and dealt with more seriously to save our young generation – the majority of the population.”

He advocates for mental health to be declared an emergency in Sierra Leone, emphasizing the need for serious and immediate action to safeguard the majority of the population, the young generation, from further harm.

The Sierra Leone has been proactive in the fight against Kush. Police constable 5614 Sawyerr Williams was dismissed by the Sierra Leone Police for selling Kush in 2023. He was arrested together with eight others during an intensive raid operation by the Anti-Drug Unit within the terrain of Freetown. Police disclose that the accused was caught with seventy-two (72) wraps of Kush, three pairs of scissors and a sum of one thousand three hundred and eighty-nine Leones (NLe1, 389.00) from his room at Grafton. However, more and more need to be done on this national scourge.

There have been series of raids on Kush addicts and dealers and a huge number of arrests have been made. According to Brima James Musa, Sub-Inspector and Media Officer tagged in Kenema, Kailahun and Kono, a total of twenty nine suspects were convicted and fifty at the Magistrate court after a total of 90 raids in Kenema, Kailahun, Tongo, Kono, Tankoro and Daru. Large Arrests were also made in the western area, North-east and Southern region, according to the police.

The Sierra Leone Judiciary is thronged with Kush-related cases. Very recently, the Sierra Leone Judiciary informed the public that: Magistrate Abu Bakarr of the Waterloo Magistrate Court has reminded 52 accused persons were sent on remand for  smoking Kush contrary to Section to Section 48 (1) of the Pharmacy and Drugs Act 2001. The accused were found in possession of Kush and Jamba and in a place for smoking.

Addressing the drug problem requires more than just punitive measures. It is crucial to adopt a comprehensive approach that encompasses prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation. The declaration of Statement of Emergency on Kush and public awareness campaigns should be launched to educate citizens, especially the youth, about the dangers of drug abuse and the consequences it has on their lives and the wider society.

School-based programmes, community outreach initiatives, and peer support networks can provide vital resources to prevent the initiation of drug use and offer support to those struggling with addiction. Moreover, the government should prioritize the establishment and enhancement of treatment and rehabilitation centres equipped to address substance abuse disorders.

These facilities can provide counselling, medical intervention, and vocational training to help individuals overcome their addiction and reintegrate into society as productive and responsible citizens.

The fight against Kush abuse requires a multi-faceted approach that involves collaboration between government agencies, law enforcement, healthcare professionals, educators, and community organizations. By working together, Sierra Leone can confront this growing crisis and safeguard the future of its youth. The widespread abuse of Kush in Sierra Leone is taking a devastating toll on individuals and communities.

The drug’s addictive nature fuels criminal activities, leads to deteriorating health conditions, and robs the nation’s youth of a promising future. To combat this menace, the authorities must take swift action to curb the importation, production, and distribution of Kush. Comprehensive measures encompassing prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation should be implemented, alongside public awareness campaigns and the establishment of support networks.

By addressing the root causes of drug abuse and providing the necessary resources for recovery, Sierra Leone can reclaim the lives of its citizens and building a brighter future for generations to come.

The first step is to implement stringent measures to curb the importation and production of the drug. Collaborating with international agencies and neighbouring countries to enhance border controls and intelligence sharing can help intercept the illicit supply chain. Additionally, local law enforcement agencies should intensify efforts to identify and arrest individuals involved in the sale and distribution of Kush.

MORE SO, I WANT TO SEIZE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ASK H.E BIO TO DECLARE A STATE OF EMERGENCY. PLEASE H.E, THE IS RIPE! PLEASE ACT NOW, OR ELSE I SEE HELL ON EARTH!! THIS FIGHT MUST BE WON!!!