Leader of Sierra Leone’s main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) party, Dr Samura Kamara, has issued a statement, urging the government to tackle the kush problem gripping the society.

In his statement, issued on Sunday, March 17, Kamara expressed sorrow over the tragedies the killer drug has caused in our society, including the loss of 32 youths recently buried at the Kingtom cemetery.

His statement reads: “In the shadows of a profound tragedy that has befallen our nation, and that has already led to the irreparable loss of many precious lives of our youths, including 32, who were recently buried at the Kingtom cemetery, to the clutches of the illegal and addictive drug known as “KUSH”, we find ourselves at the crossroads of another emergency public health scare. The mass burial at the Kington cemetery in Freetown is not just a solemn occasion for mourning but a stark reality and a wake-up call to the pervasive crisis that threatens the very fabric of our society.

“Public outcry and testimonies have shed light on a grim reality: the use of KUSH and other illegal substances has burgeoned into a significant social issue, with roots entangled in the highest levels of our political, economic, law enforcement and social institutions. The existence of manufacturing, trafficking and distribution hubs especially within Freetown, points to a crisis that is not only becoming widespread in the country but is now deeply entrenched within our very impoverished urban community arteries, just as it happened in the case of EBOLA.

“Fellow Sierra Leoneans, the time for action is now. The role of national leaders in protecting all citizens and, in particular, ensuring the welfare of the youth cannot be overstated. Unemployment, social neglect and the rising cost of living, in all their dimensions, leading to deepening poverty and hunger, despair and loss of hope, especially with respect to the users, cannot be ignored as defining factors.

At the same time, our complementary roles, united endeavors and actions as citizens and community stakeholders to protect our youth against this murderous KUSH cannot be overstated. As responsible citizens, parents, guardians, youth leaders, friends, colleagues, neighbours, we must honestly and seriously commit to recognize the gravity of this situation and to take decisive action.”