By Millicent Senava Mannah
Youth Against Drug Abuse, in collaboration with the SLPP Student Wing and with support from Hon. Mohamed Sidi Tunis, on the 4th May, 2024, undertook a campaign to raise awareness among the youth of Manso Yillah Community within Calaba Town in Freetown, about the deadly drug known as Kush.
Speaking during the campaign, the National Coordinator of the Organization, Alfred M. Sesay, informed that the campaign they decided to undertake is geared towards raising awareness on the dangers of the deadly drug, Kush, and also to interact with those taking the drug to really know what led them to the deadly habit.
He maintained that their efforts will not only stop at sensitization but how they, as an organization, would step in to help and also seek external support to provide medical assistance for some of the victims adding that they would also ensure that those that are still interested in furthering their education are availed the opportunity to do so.
According to him, some of them will be taken to a rehabilitation center while others will be continuously encouraged to stop taking the drug.
A medical doctor present at the awareness raising ceremony underscored how the drug is harmful regardless for long a victim is addicted to it stressing that Kush can affect all the organs of the body including the heart, lungs, kidney amongst others.
He admonished the youths to totally abstain from the drug or try to refrain from taking it maintaining how it is a killer drug and the continued use of it will result to them losing their lives.
The Chairman of the Unity Ataya Base, Sow Alpha, also encouraged the young people to stop taking the drug pledging that he is willing to help anyone of them that is willing to venture into any business enterprise as long as he or she is determined to abstain from taking the drug.
The representative of the Community Police for Calaba Town, commended the organization for undertaking such a laudable scheme further disclosing how he has also been raising the same awareness among the youth stating that his office door is always open for collaboration.
Peter Famanda, one of the youths in the community, on behalf of his peers stated that one of the reasons why they are taking the drug is as a result of lack of employment opportunities. According to him, if they are engaged they will not be easily tempted or influenced to be taking such a harmful drug. He commended the organization for taking such a bold stride adding that they accept their message in good faith maintaining how they themselves would love to stay away from the dangerous addiction and requested for the organization to seek help for them from higher authorities.
Another victim intimated this medium that he was a driver and that he was initiated in to taking the drug by a bad friend confessing that ever since his life has not been the same as he has lost precious material things including his dignity pleading for help as he is desperate to put an end to his drug addiction.
