Five weeks into their eight-week rehabilitation programme for Kush addiction, the leadership of 99 inmates at Hastings Rehabilitation Centre made a heartfelt appeal on Good Friday, asking the international community to support their reintegration into society. They expressed their desire to serve as Ambassadors of Positive Change. Now referred to as Service Users, they met with Felippe Paullier, the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Youth, during his week-long visit to Sierra Leone to engage national leaders and partners on youth issues.
The meeting took place at the Peace Mission Training Centre (PMTC), a facility of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) hosting the rehabilitation centre. The UN ASG listened to success stories from individuals who had previously been addicted to Kush but, following rehabilitation, returned to society to pursue education or productive work.
One young man shared that he lost both parents shortly after sitting for the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). In his grief, he turned to Kush, tramadol, and cocaine. With the help of his elder brother, he was brought to the centre, rehabilitated, and is now focused on his education and attending church.
Kush is a synthetic psychoactive drug composed of dangerous combinations of opioids and cannabinoids. It emerged in Sierra Leone around 2022 and spread rapidly among young people due to its low cost and high potency. The drug has caused severe addiction, mental health breakdowns, and physical deterioration, tearing families apart and leading many youths to drop out of school, lose jobs, or turn to crime. Among the Service Users the ASG met was a former police officer dismissed for absence without leave due to Kush addiction.
Economically, Kush has undermined productivity and placed heavy burdens on the healthcare system. By April 2024, the crisis had escalated to such a degree that President Julius Maada Bio declared Kush a national health emergency. The government responded by expanding treatment, rehabilitation, and community awareness initiatives. There are four rehabilitation centres across the country, with Hastings hosting the seventh batch of Service Users.
The Service Users emphasized that reintegration is critical to sustaining their recovery. “We want to return to skills and education because if we are helped, we will be in a better position to help others,” they said. Another added, “We are drug addicts, but that does not mean our hopes end here.”
Drawing on his own family’s experience his mother works at a rehabilitation centre in Uruguay the UN ASG encouraged the Service Users not to let addiction define them. “You have an identity that is stronger than this,” he told them, promising to raise their concerns with the wider UN in Sierra Leone.
Welcoming the ASG, Colonel Abdul Baba Keita, Commandant of PMTC, described the Kush crisis as a threat to Sierra Leone’s human capital development and stressed that the RSLAF is working closely with the Ministry of Social Welfare to support government efforts in addressing the issue. Mr. Gbangay Kanu, Deputy Director of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Services at the Ministry of Social Welfare, outlined challenges faced by service providers, noting that the government covers the feeding and overall well-being of the Service Users. He called for partners to support key components of the programme, including reintegration into communities.
The Service Users’ journey from addiction to rehabilitation to advocacy reflects Sierra Leone’s broader struggle against Kush. Their call to be Ambassadors of Positive Change underscores the importance of reintegration, demonstrates that recovery is possible, and highlights the role of youth in rebuilding communities affected by the epidemic.