By Abduali Fasineh Dumbuya
As the rate of ‘Kush’ addiction increases among young people, a Civil Society and Feminist activist Kadijatu Barrie has condemned its intake.
The activist criticized those taking the drug ‘Kush’ whilst addressing the media at the Ministry of Information and Civic Education’s Press Conference held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in Freetown on the 15th of August 2023.
She claimed that about 60 percent of males admitted to hospitals across the country suffer from mental health issues associated with Kush
According to her, the government, family members, and the community should all be held responsible for the proliferation of the substance. She noted that since the authorities are unable to address the ‘kush’ menace in the country, the community people have embarked on taking the law into their own hands by confronting addicts in their various communities.
She called for a concerted effort to solve the immediate ‘Kush’ crisis in the country and drew attention to the 2001 Medical Law Act which she said is old and needed review.
In his statement, Director of Communications, Office of the President, Myke Brewa said addiction is a mental illness just like the everyday sicknesses of malaria, fever, and others. He noted that ‘kush’ is a synthetic drug that is made and produced by some members of the public and that the victims in turn need community support through awareness campaigns.
He advised that people should stop publicly shaming the victims, saying if they turn against the community, they will become enemies of those communities.
Just recently, residents of Number 9 Community were seen in a social media video leading a campaign named “Kush must go” to stop or minimize its use among young people.
According to the community residents, the drug is considered one of the major contributing factors destroying young people in the country.
“This is all the more compelling reason that we have mobilized ourselves to hunt those suspected of Kush taking,” a community resident said.
It could also be recalled that sometime last year; the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) dismissed some soldiers who were found to be high on Kush whilst in uniform. The Sierra Leone Police (SLP) has done likewise. Even some eleven present recruits at the Police Training School were recently asked out of the facility after they were found to be indulging in Kush intake.
Speaking at the weekly Police press briefing, Assistant Inspector General (AIG), Brima Jah said the security sector is aware of the synthetic drug, and they are therefore working to ensure that the drug is curtailed and solicited the cooperation of the public.
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