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ECOWAS declares war on ‘kush’ as drug crisis grips West Africa

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament has formally launched a region-wide campaign to fight the spread of kush, a deadly psychoactive drug that is wreaking havoc across several West African nations.

The sensitisation campaign was unveiled in the Sierra Leonean Parliament’s State Hall, with key lawmakers and public health advocates in attendance.

Organised in collaboration with the Sierra Leone Parliament, the event spotlighted the growing menace of drug abuse, mental health deterioration, and the critical need for coordinated regional action.

“This is a war,” declared Orlando Pereira Dias, Chairman of the ECOWAS Committee on Health.

“We want to see our youth in good mental health.”

Dias urged civil society, the media, and national governments to align in eradicating drug abuse from West Africa.

The campaign comes in the wake of escalating addiction-related deaths, especially in Sierra Leone, where the drug's influence has become a severe public health concern.

During the 2024 ECOWAS Plenary in Abuja, Sierra Leonean lawmakers Veronica Kadie Sesay and Opposition Leader Abdul Kargbo raised the alarm on the devastating social and economic impacts of kush.

Kargbo painted a dire picture: “In a country where the average annual income is less than $500, users are spending up to $10 a day on kush.”

He recounted a harrowing incident where 32 people reportedly died in a single day due to kush-related complications.

ECOWAS now aims to harmonise policies, raise public awareness, and strengthen support for at-risk communities.

The effort symbolises a united front among member states in battling what is now considered one of the region’s gravest public health threats.

Dias also commended President Julius Maada Bio on his recent election as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority, lauding Sierra Leone’s leadership role in tackling the crisis.

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