By Mohamed Konneh
Rev. Fr. Peter Konteh, Executive Director of Caritas Freetown has called for a collective action Kush drug that is killing our people in the country.
‘’The calamity we are experiencing in Sierra Leone must not be reduced to political arguments between “you and them” or “us and them.” This is a national emergency that requires unity, compassion, and moral courage. We are facing a desperate situation that threatens the future of our young people, as the devastating spread of dangerous drugs continues to destroy lives and families,’’ Fr. Konteh noted.
The Caritas Executive Director noted that now more than ever, religious leaders, community elders, and civil society organizations must rise above silence. We must speak the truth, confront the root causes, and help identify the suppliers, traffickers, and dealers who are poisoning our nation’s youth.
‘’This crisis also reflects the deep unemployment and hopelessness affecting young people across Sierra Leone. Every day, many roam the streets of Freetown and other towns without jobs, purpose, or opportunity,’’ he said
Rev. Fr. Peter Konteh noted that when youth lose hope, they become vulnerable to despair and destruction.
Since 2022, a synthetic drug known as ‘kush’, has killed likely thousands of people in West Africa including Sierra Leone.
Kush emerged in Sierra Leone, but quickly spread across countries in the subregion, including Liberia, Guinea, the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and Senegal, with devastating effects.
‘’Let us move away from blame and insults on social media and instead focus our energy on solutions — creating jobs, expanding education, supporting rehabilitation, and building mentorship programs,’’ Fr. Konteh emphasized.
He said this is not a time for politics; it is a time for national unity and decisive action. The future of Sierra Leone depends on what we do now — together.
By April 2024, the health impacts of kush, a synthetic drug containing nitazenes, opioids as – or more – powerful than fentanyl, as well as synthetic cannabinoids, were so acute that the presidents of Sierra Leone and Liberia had declared national emergencies over drug use – an unprecedented step.
The Kush drug represents a turning point in West Africa’s drug landscape. The scale of its market expansion and its lethal public health effects are unparalleled. Yet, amidst widespread speculation about kush, a number of critical questions remained unanswered about the drug. What is kush? Where does it come from? Who is producing and trafficking it? And what can be done to reduce the harm posed by this drug?
