Sierra Leone has declared a national state of emergency due to a drug made from human bones. The country has witnessed a sharp increase in the use of a drug known as "kush," prompting police officers to guard cemeteries in the capital, Freetown, to prevent youths from digging up skeletons. "Kush" is made from a mixture of cannabis, fentanyl, tramadol, formaldehyde, and reports indicate that ground human bones are added to these ingredients.
Sierra Leone's President, Maada Bio, stated, "Our country is currently facing an existential threat due to the devastating impact of drugs and drug use, particularly the destructive synthetic drug, kush." Although there are no official figures for deaths related to kush use, a doctor from Freetown told the BBC that hundreds of youths have died in recent months due to organ failure caused by the drug.
Between 2020 and 2023, admissions to psychiatric hospitals in Sierra Leone for kush-related illnesses rose by nearly 4000%, with the vast majority being young people aged 18 to 25. Abdul Jalloh, head of the psychiatric hospital in Sierra Leone, noted that the emergency declaration by Bio is "the right step" and will be "crucial in addressing drug abuse." Experts believe that the extremely high unemployment rate among youth exacerbates the issue. Edward Nahim, a psychiatric consultant, stated, "Kush is a very dangerous drug, comparable to heroin or cocaine; it is potent, cheap, and easily available, and there is a lack of regulation and oversight in drug sales, leading to its widespread prevalence in West Africa."
