‘Kush is ruining my life’: Sierra Leone’s youth fall into drug hell for 40 cents

Under a large highway bridge in Freetown, Sierra Leone, hundreds of skeletal drug users shelter from the rain, their feet submerged in mud. Many suffer from large, infected wounds on their ankles, emitting a foul odor – a grim consequence of "kush," a new synthetic drug ravaging the country.

Nancy Kemoh, a 23-year-old user, exemplifies the drug's destructive impact. Her face is gaunt after four years of intensive use, and her family has disowned her. A practicing Christian, she now desperately visits churches across the capital, pleading for a spot in a rehabilitation center. "I have given my name to all the churches in Freetown. I hope to get out, but I can't do it alone," she said, her voice strained.

The article highlights the widespread despair and the urgent need for accessible treatment options. The drug's low cost, reportedly around 40 Swiss centimes, makes it tragically accessible to vulnerable young people. The limited availability of rehabilitation services means many, like Nancy, face immense challenges in their fight for recovery.

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I have given my name to all the churches in Freetown. I hope to get out, but I can't do it alone.