The devastating impact of kush addiction on young people in Sierra Leone continues to raise serious concerns, with some affected youths reportedly seeking refuge at dumpsites after becoming trapped between severe substance dependence and limited access to rehabilitation and social support.
Journalist and television broadcaster, Nafisatu Olayinka Deen, has drawn renewed attention to the plight of young people struggling with addiction, describing circumstances in which some survive by scavenging for scraps and carrying out poorly paid labour while living in extremely difficult conditions.
According to Nafisatu Olayinka Deen, kush, a synthetic drug that has become a major public concern, has severely affected sections of the country’s youth population, leaving some users physically weakened and increasingly disconnected from their families and communities.
She said addiction has robbed many young people of their ability to make responsible choices and maintain stable lives. Some, she explained, have resorted to scavenging at dumpsites, where they search for recyclable or valuable materials to earn enough money to survive and sustain their addiction.
Beyond the health and social consequences, Nafisatu Olayinka Deen highlighted allegations that vulnerable drug users are being exploited by people who take advantage of their circumstances. She said some are underpaid for labour, while others, particularly those in extremely vulnerable situations, face the risk of sexual exploitation and abuse.
One of the disturbing experiences highlighted involved a young person who reportedly attempted to seek treatment at a rehabilitation centre after hearing that people struggling with addiction could receive assistance there.
According to the account, the individual was unable to access rehabilitation services because of a festering wound, underscoring the complex health conditions confronting some drug users and the challenges they may encounter when seeking treatment.
Despite the grim situation, Nafisatu Olayinka Deen noted that some people battling addiction have successfully gained access to rehabilitation facilities and are receiving assistance.
She said she was given an opportunity through Truth Media to work on a short documentary alongside anti-drug activist Jaden Ken and members of the organization’s creative team. The documentary provided an opportunity to examine the experiences of people directly affected by kush addiction and the wider social consequences of the crisis.
Describing the production process as emotionally demanding, Nafisatu Olayinka Deen said it exposed the human suffering behind the statistics and public conversations surrounding drug abuse.
Her latest reflections also brought renewed attention to a piece she previously wrote titled “End Kush Campaign!”, in which she appealed for sustained action against the drug rather than temporary social-media attention whenever the issue becomes popular.
“Please do not post end kush because it trends. Post it because you want it to end,” she wrote.
Through the piece, Nafisatu Olayinka Deen contrasted the lives of young people before and after becoming trapped by addiction, portraying individuals who were once healthy and vibrant but subsequently became physically weak and socially vulnerable.
She described kush as a form of bondage that continues to cause widespread damage to individuals, families and communities, questioning whether society has taken sufficient action to achieve the change repeatedly demanded in public campaigns.
Her message also challenged those involved in the sale and distribution of kush, arguing that the pursuit of profit comes at an enormous human cost. Written partly in Krio, the piece questioned how individuals could continue selling a substance they know is destroying other people’s children, siblings and parents.
The renewed call comes amid continuing national concern about substance abuse and the need for stronger prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration programmes.
The experiences highlighted by Nafisatu Olayinka Deen demonstrate that tackling kush requires more than public condemnation. Effective intervention will require accessible rehabilitation services, medical treatment, psychosocial support, protection against exploitation and sustainable opportunities for recovering users to rebuild their lives.
Her message ultimately calls for the End Kush Campaign to move beyond slogans and social-media trends towards sustained collective action aimed at preventing addiction, supporting affected young people and confronting those who profit from the vulnerability of others.
