Calls for rehab centers in Sierra Leone as synthetic drug Kush addiction spirals out of control

ultranaut, 6 months ago

The explainer doesn’t seem to explain what it actually is that I could find, apparently it’s a locally produced synthetic cannabinoid but that could be all sorts of different drugs.

Dkarma, 6 months ago

It’s what they call k2 or flakka in the states.
Bad shit. Basically bath salts.

livus, 6 months ago

I think you're right. I had a look around and found this chemical profile which lists a number of different possible substances. They all have broadly the same effect on the brain but side effects probably vary with type and contaminants (it seems to be made out of ordinary things like shoe polish).

We had a problem with deaths and psychiatric issues in New Zealand for a while when synthetic cannabinoids were legal on an ad hoc basis. People were marketing stuff made out of a chemical used to clean alloy wheels, etc.

livus, 6 months ago

From the article:

Ahonsi stressed the need to disrupt the supply chain in order to curb the menace. He said UN is concerned at the scale and magnitude of youths involved in the use of the substance,and pointed out that there’s no way the country can actualize its development aspirations if it’s young people are not at the heart of efforts to transform it. The UN Envoy said youths’ addiction to drugs cannot put them in a position where they can be drivers of transformation.

He said that he believes that a multi-sectoral approach is key in handling the issue, stressing the essence of dealing with prevention, and the root causes.

Explaining her experience whilst taking care of drug victims at City of Rest, along the Regent –Jui Highway, Augusta Johnny spoke on the relevance of rehabilitation, the various steps involved, and how important it is to getting drug addicts back to normalcy. She however admitted it is a difficult process...

Answering the question of what has been done considering the government- run only Psychiatric hospital in Kissy is congested, whilst the private owned City of Rest has collapsed, Special Adviser to the President on Drugs, Carole Labour said they have a plan to open a rehabilitation centre, but said “we need interventions, we need investments to create rehabilitation centres and.. we need individuals that have the knowledge to rehabilitate people”. She explained that one of government’s plans is to ensure that they capacitate persons that will be managing people’s mental health issues.

The Minister of Social Welfare, Melrose Karminty said the government is making strides in establishing a rehabilitation centre, one she said that will support the recovery of persons affected by substance abuse and institute follow- up mechanisms to avoid a relapse...

According to the Chairman of the event/BBC Correspondent- Umaru Fofana, Kissy Hospital has no more room for new admission. He said Kush and tramadol account for 92% of all cases at the hospital, with Kush -72% and 20%-tramadol, whilst the other 8% of patients are users of cannabis and other drugs.