More than 500 stakeholders including Vice President of Sierra Leone, Ministers of Health, Information and Civic Education and Social Welfare, key Government dignitaries, the UN and NGO partners participated in one-day Government led town hall meeting on Kush in Freetown and supported by WHO, during which commitments and calls to regulate the use of Kush in the Country were made.

Also in attendance were Chief Justice, Inspector General of Police, Members of Parliament, Head of the Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Paramount Chiefs, Religious leaders, substance abuse survivors, and other key stakeholders.

During meeting held at the Freetown International Conference Centre in April 2024, the Vice President His Excellency Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh pledged his leadership of the national task force against the Kush epidemic, emphasizing its detrimental effects on society and education.

Dr. Austin Demby the Minister of Health, stressed the need for a holistic approach beyond healthcare provision to broader societal engagement and interventions, committing the Ministry of Health’s implementing structures and resources to deliver healthcare services to victims and survivors of KUSH. The Minister of Chernor Wisdom Bah on his part reaffirmed the Ministry's dedication to public health education to protect Sierra Leoneans' well-being.

Kush is a high dangerous and addictive new drug substance in circulation in Sierra Leone. Kush is a potent combination of marijuana, fentanyl, and tramadol and is mainly purchased by the younger population in Sierra Leone leaving devastating consequences. Numerous deaths and severe psychiatric harm have been registered among users. The drug's affordability has made it easy to access and afford particularly   among the unemployed youth, contributing to a growing social crisis in the country.

Globally, over 296 million people used drugs in 2021, marking a 23 percent increase over the previous decade. At the same time, the number of individuals suffering from drug use disorders surged to 39.5 million, a 45 percent increase over ten years, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC, 2023). Africa remains a key transit region for cocaine, heroin, and cannabis resin and accounts for half of the global seizures of pharmaceutical opioids, particularly tramadol putting Sierra Leone at higher risk as a transit and dumping ground for drugs.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes the danger of different drugs including Kush and is working closely with the Government of Sierra Leone to address this social and public health crisis through Community engagement, advocacy with the government, partners, youth organizations, civil societies, and the media. Together they have agreed to implement a multidisciplinary action plan to address this epidemic. The plan includes supporting the Ministry of Information and Civic Education, the Ministry of Health, and health development partners in preventive, curative, and rehabilitative programs while advocating with Government to tackle underlying unemployment in the country.

In March His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio, declared Kush a state of emergency and intensified efforts to create job opportunities for young people emphasizing the importance of addressing the addiction epidemic to ensure the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goal and the BIG 5 Development Priorities, particularly the FEED SALONE Initiative and Youth Employment programs.