Mr Abdullah Hafeez is a student of International Relations at Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad.
Introduction
Sierra Leone, a West African country, has declared a national emergency due to the drug crisis, particularly the rising level of drug consumption such as kush by youth. More recently, local drug dealers have started using human bones as an ingredient in these drugs which is a threat to the safety of dead bodies. Although Sierra Leone has inherited several problems since its independence, underdevelopment has resulted in this situation, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic.
What is the Zombie Drug?
The Zombie drug or kush is a psychoactive drug and is made up of fentanyl, tramadol, cannabis, formaldehyde, and human bones. For this unholy purpose, a horrific number of human bones have been taken. The government even declared a national emergency to protect graveyards throughout the cities. The sulfur and calcium of the human skeleton are used to intoxicate the drug, and some medical experts think that the impact of kush remains longer than usual if consumed with these crushed bones.
The negative impact of these drugs depends on the amount of drug being taken and the ingredients it contains. According to some medical researchers, the use of cannabis, one of the major components of kush, causes alternative consciousness, relaxation, and exhilaration in the body. Moreover, the drug impacts in two ways: first, due to its addictive nature, it harms its user. Secondly, addicts pose a harmful impact on society in numerous ways.
According to government officials, hundreds of fatalities have been recorded due to excessive use of these drugs. Moreover, it has indirectly increased the cases of domestic violence, unorganized crimes, and robbery. According to the local drug dealers, a single kush can be purchased for five 5 leones (0.071 PKR) and two to three individuals can easily utilize it at one time. An average drug addict, however, consumes 40 such kush packets within a single day.
Decoding the National Emergency Plan and its Aims
The president ordered the formulation of a National Task Force on Drugs and Substance Abuse to combat drug-related problems, particularly that of zombie drugs. For this purpose, the forces are directed to protect graveyards to stop people from digging graves to withdraw human skeletons. Other functions of this force involve dismantling the supply chain of these drugs in the market and providing social support to the people.
Moreover, the president has ordered the establishment of rehabilitation centers in every district to overcome the capacity issues in the existing hospitals. Police have also been called to take strict action against drug dealers and addicts.
Poverty and Unemployment
The National Youth Commission and IMF have concluded in their reports that more than 60% of the young population in Sierra Leone is either underemployed or unemployed. In addition to this, more than 8,00,000 people are actively looking for jobs across the country. These are the major reasons why people are becoming addicts. Some other major reasons are lack of access to quality education, insufficient job vaccines, and stagnant economic growth for a long time.
Recommendations
The government can impose strict laws to stop the sale and purchase of drugs, especially in public places. The license to sell addictive stuff should only be granted to verified pharmacists. To tackle the illegal import of raw materials across porous borders, there should be a complete collaboration between the law enforcement agencies. Moreover, there should be a massive crackdown on major drug cartels to curb the further spread of these drugs.
In long-term policies, the government should incorporate a few chapters at the elementary educational level to create awareness among the younger students about the negative impacts of kush. To overcome the work shortage in the market, the government should start technical diplomas and IT courses for the youth. In this way, the graduates and commoners will be able to find alternative sources of earning instead of wasting their time on drugs and thinking about their unemployment.
Climate change is also a real threat in African countries, particularly Sierra Leone. To tackle this issue, some crucial steps such as the early warning system to control floods, portable small houses, and social support for the affected people should be taken up by the government authorities. Regional and global agencies like the UN, AU, and other NGOs should help the government in building rehabilitation centers across the country
Above all, the government must encourage private-public partnerships to excel in different sectors. If the abovementioned steps are taken in true letter and spirit, there is hope that the government of Sierra Leone will be able to mitigate the harmful impacts of the zombie drug crisis on society.
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