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Published 20:21 IST, April 8th 2024

'Zombie Drug' Menace in Sierra Leone: Peddlers Dig Graves for Human Bones, 'Emergency' Declared

National emergency has been declared by the West African country of Sierra Leone due to surge of consumption of a psychoactive drug made from human skeletons.

Reported by: Nishtha Narayan
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'Zombie Drug' Menace in Sierra Leone: Peddlers Dig Graves for Human Bones, 'Emergency' Declared | Image: Shutterstock
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Freetown: National emergency has been declared by the West African country of Sierra Leone in wake of surge of consumption of a psychoactive drug made from human skeletons. The drug 'kush' is a amalgamation of herbs, cannabis, disinfectant and a atypical ingredient of human bones. The drug is getting poplar among the narcotics users for its excessive euphoric affects so much so that President Bio was forced to declare a national emergency. 

The drug infused with human bones has enhanced vigor due to high Sulphur content. The emergency has been declared to stop the practice of consuming the morbid substance. Not just an emergency, but a government has taken a dire step of deploying have deployed guards to protect the cemeteries. 

The drug is popularly known as 'Zombie Drug' as people are becoming crippling like 'zombies' for hours after consuming the drug. 

As per the media reports, drug dealer, addicts, suppliers are digging up graves and unearthing bones from the graveyards of Freetown to manufacture the. The hazard has been claiming lives of dozens of people very month from overuse and toxic elements present in it. 

In a nationwide address, President Bio said issued a strict warning  and terming the menace as "existential threat". In the address, he said, “Our country faces a dire crisis from the scourge of drug abuse, particularly the insidious synthetic drug kush.”

According to the reports from he doctors and medical professionals, there is increase in deaths credited to organ failure among young men due to the drug. 
Psychiatric facilities are getting full by nearly 4000 % between 2020 and 2023 due to admissions to psychiatric facilities for kush-relared illnesses.  The drug is primarily affected males aged 18-25. Kush is currently very accessible and cost 20 p per joint. Many shell out around Rs 800 on the drug daily even though the average annual income of people is around £400 (Rs 42,000)

President Bio has assembled a National Task Force on Drugs and Substance Abuse, gesturing  a cooperative effort to tackle the epidemic. On top of the toll, there is a dearth of rehabilitation facilities with just one centre serving the entire nation.

Experts credit the epidemic to several factors, including rampant unemployment and economic turmoil worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Edward Nahim, a consultant psychiatrist, warns of kush's insidious spread, comparing it to heroin or cocaine in its potency and availability.

Updated 20:21 IST, April 8th 2024