Sierra Leone declares war on synthetic drug kush as youth face devastation

A group of people in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, started a project last year in the Bombay suburb to help a young man quit using a drug called kush. The young man wanted to stop using kush because he cared about his family, feared dropping out of school, and felt abandoned by his friends. The community members provided support by bringing food and water and doing whatever they could to help. A doctor from the community also visited occasionally. The police were not aware of the project or the practice of chaining people. So far, the Bombay Community has helped 70 to 80 individuals struggling with kush addiction. One father, Gibrilla Bangura, a college lecturer, initially felt angry and distant from his son but later realized the importance of supporting him. Kush addiction has become a significant issue in Sierra Leone, leading to a rise in people seeking help at the country's only psychiatric hospital. Ansu Konneh, the director of mental health at the Ministry of Social Welfare, highlighted the severe impact of kush on young people's lives, causing them to drop out of school and experience health problems. The government aims to provide assistance rather than punishment to those affected by the drug. Parents, like the mother mentioned in the story, are exhausted and seeking help for their children. The community project in Bombay serves as a place where individuals struggling with kush addiction can receive support and treatment.