ECOWAS declares “war on kush” as drug crisis worsens across West Africa
The Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has launched a regional campaign to combat the escalating abuse of the psychoactive substance known as kush, describing the effort as a formal “war” on the dangerous drug.
The move comes amid rising public health concerns and a surge in addiction-related deaths, particularly in Sierra Leone.
The campaign was unveiled during a sensitisation outreach hosted in the State Hall of the Sierra Leone Parliament in Freetown.
Organised in collaboration with the Parliament of Sierra Leone, the event focused on the growing prevalence of kush, mental health challenges, and the urgent need for regional cooperation in addressing substance abuse.
Lawmakers from across the region stressed that the initiative marks a united front among ECOWAS member states to tackle what has become one of the most severe public health threats in recent years.
The effort also aims to raise awareness, promote policy reforms, and protect young people from the devastating consequences of drug addiction.
The renewed focus follows alarm raised by Sierra Leonean lawmakers during the 2024 ECOWAS Plenary in Abuja, where Veronica Kadie Sesay and Opposition Leader Abdul Kargbo called attention to the intensifying crisis.
Kargbo noted the staggering economic and social toll of kush, citing reports of users spending as much as $10 daily on the drug in a country where the average annual income is less than $500.
He also referenced a particularly tragic incident in which 32 people reportedly died in a single day due to kush-related complications.
Responding to these concerns, the ECOWAS Parliament, led by Orlando Pereira Dias, Chairman of the ECOWAS Committee on Health, convened in Freetown to map out a coordinated regional strategy.
Dias described the initiative as a “war against kush,” underlining the urgency of collective action to address the crisis.
“We want to see our youth in good mental health,” Dias said, calling on all stakeholders, including civil society and the media, to rally behind the campaign to eradicate drug abuse in the region.
He also took the opportunity to commend Sierra Leone and its President, Julius Maada Bio, on his recent election as Chairman of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government.
Sesay, who led Sierra Leone’s delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament and serves as Deputy Chief Whip of the national parliament, reiterated the need for joint regional efforts.
She recalled how Sierra Leonean lawmakers had long called for a serious crackdown on drug addiction among youth, especially as new and more dangerous substances like kush continue to penetrate communities.
Sesay explained that Sierra Leone has adopted a multi-sectoral approach to addressing the drug menace.
She pointed to the National Drug Control Act of 2008 as the legislative backbone of the country’s anti-drug efforts and noted that parliamentary oversight continues to support initiatives aimed at prevention, rehabilitation, and enforcement.
“Civil society and media organisations have also been instrumental in raising awareness, especially through community outreach and surveillance campaigns targeted at vulnerable groups,” she said.
However, Sesay expressed concern that access to drugs remains alarmingly easy and that rehabilitation centres remain under-resourced.
She added that the delegation had recently toured several rehabilitation centres in Freetown to conduct a needs assessment and identify areas requiring urgent intervention.
Segepoh Thomas, Speaker of the Sierra Leone Parliament, echoed these concerns, describing drug abuse as a “colossal concern” not only for Sierra Leone but the wider ECOWAS region.
“It is time for the region to take concrete steps to protect our youth. If we continue on this trajectory, it will be difficult to see a future where our young people are healthy and productive. We must act now”, Thomas said.
He pledged the full support of the Sierra Leone Parliament in ECOWAS’s anti-drug campaign, stating that lawmakers are committed to seeing the initiative succeed.
The sensitisation event, held under the theme “Awareness on Psychoactive Substance Abuse and Mental Health,” marks a step in ECOWAS’s efforts to enhance public health and regional stability through coordinated legislative and policy action.
