Sierra Leone is in the grip of a grave crisis caused by widespread usage of xylazine, sometimes known as “tranq,” causing President Julius Maada Bio to proclaim a national emergency. This substance, also known as “Kush” or the “Zombie Drug,” has resulted in distressing cases in which users have dug up graves to retrieve human bones for manufacture, according to the BBC.
The current status
The problem has progressed to the point where cemetery security has been enhanced to prevent additional grave vandalism. The President called the substance a “death trap” and emphasized the existential threat it posed to the country. The Sierra Leone Psychiatric Hospital reported a 4,000% increase in Kush abuse hospitalizations between 2020 and 2023
Presidents’ response
In response to the problem, President Bio announced the formation of a National Task Force on Drugs and Substance Abuse, which will tackle the catastrophic effects of Kush. The substance, which has been widely used in Sierra Leone for many years, has become a big worry, with the country’s only operational drug rehabilitation centre in Freetown claiming that a considerable majority of its patients are being treated for Kush-related issues.
About the drug
The major component of the “Zombie Drug,” xylazine, is a non-opioid sedative that was initially intended for veterinary usage. It has been discovered in the illegal drug supply of several nations, including the United States, and is frequently mixed with narcotics such as cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl to enhance their effects or increase their street value. This mixture can generate a hypnotic, zombie-like state in users, leading to serious health problems such as drowsiness, respiratory depression, and potentially fatal infections from untreated wounds.
Looking forward
The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cautions of the potentially fatal hazards connected with xylazine, emphasising that while Naloxone can reverse the effects of opioids, it does not counteract xylazine. Overdose requires immediate medical care due to the drug’s profound depressive effects on the central nervous system.