In the heart of West Africa, Sierra Leone faces a chilling reality as a haunting menace grips the nation: a psychoactive drug crafted from human bones and psychoactive substance known as xylazine, or “tranq”.
The drug, referred to as a “zombie drug” for its hypnotic allure, casts a dark shadow over society. The drug, described by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration as one that makes “the deadliest drug threat our country has ever faced, fentanyl, even deadlier”, places users at a higher risk of suffering a fatal drug poisoning.
Things took a particularly macabre turn in the African nation of Sierra Leone as addicts, driven by desperation, resorted to raiding graves in search of bones in order to make the drug, also called “kush”. President Julius Maada Bio acknowledged the seriousness of the situation, declaring a national emergency. The threat of drug abuse is emerging at large, casting an importance over the nation’s future. In response, a task force has been mobilized, with the mission to eradicate “kush” from the land.
Hope is in the promise of rehabilitation centers, slated to be established in every district. These sanctuaries, staffed by compassionate professionals, offer a lifeline to those trapped by addiction. Concerns linger over the adequacy of facilities, with some viewing the existing centers as more like holding facilities than places of true healing.
Dr. Abdul Jalloh, head of the Sierra Leone Psychiatric Hospital, lent his support to the President’s initiative, recognizing it as a crucial step in addressing the existing drug use plaguing the nation. However, the damage of “kush” abuse cannot be overstated, with reports of escalating fatalities and a surge in admissions to psychiatric facilities.
While an official death toll remains elusive, the human cost of addiction is painfully evident. Hundreds of young lives are cut short, their dreams shattered by the fascination of a deadly high. Organ failure, a serious consequence of “kush” abuse, claims lives with ruthless efficiency, leaving families to hold with unimaginable loss.
As Sierra Leone confronts this modern-day plague, the world watches with a mix of horror and hope. What began as a whisper six years ago has escalated into a deafening cry for help, leaving the land scarred by addiction and despair.
