Sierra Leone has officially declared a National Emergency on Drugs and Substance Abuse. His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio in last evening address to the nation: “We are witnessing the destructive consequences of Kush on our country’s very foundation: our young people, in spite of our Government’s efforts to stop the proliferation of drugs and substance abuse in Sierra Leone.

“This deadly Kush, which knows no boundaries of class, ethnicity, gender or religion, is taking a devastating toll on our communities, tearing apart families and robbing us of our future leaders. The deterioration and alarming mortality of our young people due to the addictive use of kush is no longer acceptable.

“As a government, we say, enough is enough. As a nation, we say, enough is enough. Synthetic drug and substance abuse is a global crisis. Sadly, it is harmful

effects have reached our doorsteps. Our young people are becoming increasingly addicted to Kush, which has become a death trap.

“It is my solemn duty as your President, acting on the powers conferred on me by the Constitution, to declare a National Emergency on Drug and Substance Abuse. With this National Emergency on Drug and Substance

Abuse, we shall broaden the scope of the Government Task Force’s work and adopt a multifaceted approach to addressing the increasing Kush epidemic.

“Our fight against Kush should be a collective effort, which is why I have directed the setting up of a National Task Force on Drugs and Substance Abuse (NaTFDSA), with a particular focus on combating the rising Kush crisis. The National Task Force will be multi-sectoral, comprising key Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Security and Law Enforcement Agencies, Community Organisations, Non-Governmental Organisations, Development Partners, Religious Organisations, and recovering people with substance use disorder to address drugs and substance abuse through a comprehensive Strategy”. See page 6 for President’s full address to the nation.