A national emergency has been declared in Sierra Leone due to an increase in drug usage cases. The proclamation issued by President Julius Maada Bio comes in the wake of a sharp increase in the usage of Kush, a synthetic narcotic.
A potent combination of marijuana, tentanyl, and tramadol makes for a highly addictive substance. Many users have been left psychologically ill, and hundreds of deaths have been attributed to Kush.
Almost four years ago, it made its initial appearance in the West African nation. The substance is also popular in Liberia, a nearby country.
President Bio announced the formation of a taskforce to carry out a multifaceted approach to addressing drug and substance misuse.
Healthcare professionals applauded the president’s decree.
Distressed by a lengthy civil war that concluded in 2002 and a devastating Ebola epidemic eight years ago, dimaond-rich Sierra Leone has struggled to grow its economy, and youth unemployment remains high.
(Africanews)
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