The ECOWAS Parliament has officially launched what it describes as a “war” on the synthetic drug known as Kush, in response to the escalating crisis of substance abuse and mental health challenges in Sierra Leone and across the West African region.
The declaration came during a high-level sensitization town hall held at the State Hall of the Sierra Leone Parliament in Freetown. The event, themed “Awareness on Psychoactive Substance Abuse and Mental Health,” was organized in partnership with the Parliament of Sierra Leone as part of ECOWAS’ regional mission to confront the growing threat of psychoactive substances among youth.
Speaking at the event, Members of Parliament from both Sierra Leone and the ECOWAS bloc emphasized the urgency of cross-border collaboration to tackle the crisis.
Key among them was Sierra Leonean MP Hon. Veronica Kadie Sesay, who recalled her earlier call for ECOWAS action during the 2024 Plenary Session in Abuja.
She expressed gratitude that the regional body was now taking concrete steps to support national efforts.
Also speaking, Opposition Leader Hon. Abdul Kargbo raised alarm over the intensity of Kush addiction, noting that some users reportedly spend up to \$10 daily on the drug—despite a national average income of less than \$500 per year. He cited reports of 32 drug-related deaths in a single day as a chilling reminder of the crisis’ scale.
Chairman of the ECOWAS Parliamentary Committee on Health, Hon. Orlando Pereira Dias, reiterated that public health and youth mental well-being were now top regional priorities. He praised Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio for his recent election as ECOWAS Chairman, stating that it signaled a new phase of regional unity in the fight against drug abuse.
Speaker of the Sierra Leone Parliament, Hon. Segepoh Solomon Thomas, welcomed the delegation and called for concrete legislative and grassroots actions to combat youth drug dependency. He affirmed the Parliament’s commitment to partnering with ECOWAS to ensure long-term solutions.
Despite ongoing reforms, Hon. Sesay admitted that access to treatment services remains limited, and rehabilitation centers are under-resourced. She called for urgent investment in drug prevention infrastructure and shared findings from a recent assessment of treatment facilities in Freetown.
As the ECOWAS delegation concluded the day’s engagements, they pledged continued support for national legislatures, enforcement agencies, and civil society groups working to address the psychoactive substance crisis threatening the region’s youth.
