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Articles on political and social issues in Cameroon, Africa and the world as seen by Njei Moses Timah > The Rapid Spread of ‘kush’ addiction in West and Central Africa


25 Jan 2025

The Rapid Spread of ‘kush’ addiction in West and Central Africa

One of the worst things that should happen to you is being addicted to something. Addiction is when you are hooked to something from which you can’t easily separate. You can be addicted to hard drugs, gambling, alcohol and even computer games. Addiction can seriously affect your health, your relationship with people, your dignity, and your chances of enjoying quality life.

Addiction has been with us since human civilization began, but what we are facing now in West and Central Africa is a rare drug addiction that is spreading like wild fire. The problem is ravaging the population especially the youths and leaving a trail of death, despair and lost hope.

In 2016, news of a fast spreading drug of addiction in Sierra Leone called kush became public. The drug was causing sleep inducing happiness, and at times confusion. People could be seen sleeping in standing positions. Thousands of youths dropped out of school because of the drug. Kush was said to contain a mixture of fentanyl, cannabis (Marijuana), tramadol, formaldehyde (formalin), acetone, paints, disinfectants and sometimes human bones. The impact of the addiction was so profound that the president of Sierra Leone declared a state of emergency in April 2024. The number of addicts in Sierra Leone and neighbouring Liberia alone are counted in millions,

One would imagine that it is a problem of the urban areas but recent reports from the rural areas are equally disturbing. In the rural areas where many people suffer from occupational body aches, this concoction is presented to them as a miracle drug for pain. Yes, it is due to the presence of pain relieving but addictive opioids in the concoction.   To put a lid on the pain, you may have to take multiple doses a day. Next you soon find out that you are hooked to the drug sometimes for life.

When you are hooked to the drug, you become helpless and completely build your life and future around the drug. You will constantly need to finance your drug addiction habit and as such you may resort to borrowing and telling lies or steal valuables from family or friends. This is not ruling out the harmful impact of the drug on your productivity and health. Deaths from kush are a common occurrence and reports of multiple organ failure from the drug abound.

Kush has dozens of other names in different communities and the composition of the concoction may vary but the main ingredient appears to be either cannabis or a synthetic compound that mimics cannabis.

Watch video below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NP7zIFqWLE

Njei Timah Moses