By: Audrey Raymonda John
On the 19th of October 2025, Musa Pious Sesay Jr. Esq., the Founder of Behind Bars Brighter Futures–Africa, officially launched a nationwide campaign aimed at combating the illegal sale and consumption of the dangerous drug known as “kush” in Sierra Leone.
As an organization committed to building an Africa where children and young people are free from the influence of crime and empowered to make positive life choices, Behind Bars Brighter Futures–Africa recognizes drug misuse as one of the most significant social factors driving youth involvement in crime. The statement described the kush epidemic as an “emergency of national concern,” noting that it has claimed the lives of hundreds of young people and left many others suffering from severe mental and physical health consequences.
The campaign, titled “Don’t Buy, Don’t Sell, End Kush,” delivers a clear and impactful message. According to the organization, “Kush is acutely dangerous. It makes sense not to buy it, and not to sell it.” This slogan underscores a simple economic truth: the drug trade thrives on both buyers and sellers. By eliminating either side of the equation, the entire chain is disrupted. Therefore, the campaign seeks to reduce both the consumption and distribution of kush through a unified national awareness drive, empowering citizens particularly the youth to reject the drug entirely.
Explaining the rationale behind the campaign, lawyer Pious Sesay emphasized that the “Don’t Buy, Don’t Sell” message is not just a slogan, but a call to action for civic engagement. It invites communities, parents, schools, religious institutions, and law enforcement agencies to unite in restoring the moral fabric and mental well-being of the nation’s young people. The campaign will involve public sensitization, street and community outreach, media advocacy, and the sale of branded T-shirts featuring the campaign message. Proceeds from T-shirt sales will be directed toward the rehabilitation and reintegration of victims of drug abuse.
When asked why the organization chose to focus specifically on kush, amid the many other illegal substances circulating in the country, Lawyer Sesay made the distinction clear: “All drugs are harmful, but the effect of kush is remarkably destructive.”
Unlike many other narcotics, kush has an exceptionally high addictive potential. It rapidly deteriorates the user’s mental stability, ambition, and sense of purpose. Across Sierra Leone, communities have witnessed the devastating collapse of promising young lives students dropping out of school, workers losing their jobs, and families torn apart. In the most tragic cases, kush users suffer physical deterioration, living in a state of disconnection, hunger, and despair before death ultimately claims them.
Behind Bars Brighter Futures–Africa believes that addressing this crisis requires both compassion and courage. The “Don’t Buy, Don’t Sell, End Kush” campaign aims to ignite a sense of national responsibility to protect the future of the country by safeguarding its youth.
As the campaign unfolds across schools, communities, and social platforms, the organization calls on every Sierra Leonean to take a stand: refuse to buy, refuse to sell, and together, help end the scourge of kush.