SIERRA LEONE · PUBLIC HEALTH
Key Facts
- What it is Kush is a synthetic street drug blamed for severe wounds, dependence and deaths among young people.
- Emergency President Julius Maada Bio declared a national emergency on drugs and substance abuse in April 2024.
- Hospital cases Hospital cases rose from 47 in 2020 to more than 1,800 in 2023.
- Street deaths Freetown’s city council collected over 200 bodies of drug-related deaths between January and October 2025.
- Response In October 2025 Bio announced a drug court, a security unit, a law review and a special fund.
- Treatment In January 2026, 40 former users left a government-funded programme at the national psychiatric hospital.
- US travel Sierra Leone sits at US Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution, for crime, unrest and weak health care.
Kush is a synthetic drug that Sierra Leone treats as a national emergency. This guide sets out what is known, with dates, and what is still unconfirmed.
Sierra Leone, in West Africa, has treated kush, a synthetic street drug, as a national emergency since April 2024. The newest confirmed figures date from late 2025 and January 2026, so this guide gives dates throughout.
Kush is blamed for severe wounds, dependence and deaths among young people. For US readers it is background to a Level 2 travel advisory citing crime, unrest and weak health care.
In Plain English
- Kush a synthetic street drug that Sierra Leone blames for wounds, dependence and deaths.
- National emergency the formal status President Bio gave the drug problem in April 2024, to speed up a government response.
- State House the presidency’s seat in Freetown, where Bio announced new measures in October 2025.
- Partners In Health a global health nonprofit that treated patients’ wounds in the 2026 programme.
- Level 2 advisory the second of four US State Department travel levels, meaning exercise increased caution.
How the Crisis Grew
Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Health estimated that reported cases rose from 47 in 2020 to more than 1,800 hospital cases in 2023. Solid national data had not been published at that time.
In April 2024 President Julius Maada Bio, in office since 2018, declared a national emergency on drugs and substance abuse. The declaration was reported in early April 2024.
Analysts link the drug’s spread to unemployment and hopelessness among young people. Officials call kush both a security and a public health problem, while some critics blame inaction.
The October 2025 Measures
In late October 2025, President Bio announced five measures at a meeting at State House. He called the situation a matter of profound urgency.
- A special court to try drug-related cases.
- A directive to the chief justice to draft a new sentencing practice direction.
- A comprehensive review of all drug and substance-abuse laws, led by the Attorney General’s office.
- A special security unit of police and military personnel to step up enforcement nationwide.
- A special fund for prevention, community engagement and other interventions.
Freetown’s city council reported collecting more than 200 bodies of people who died of drug-related causes between January and October 2025. Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr leads that council.
Police said they arrested 130 suspected dealers in 174 raids between 20 and 26 October 2025. Of those, 51 had been charged and 79 were still under investigation.
Charges are allegations, not convictions. No convictions from those raids could be confirmed.
Treatment and Rehabilitation
In mid-January 2026, 40 former kush users left the Sierra Leone Psychiatric Teaching Hospital in Freetown. The government funded the programme, which lasted nearly three months.
The patients had arrived in October 2025 with severe wounds, malnutrition and mobility problems. Partners In Health healed more than 95% of the injuries.
Three patients needed more surgery and were to be moved to a facility in Kono. Doctors said the hospital cannot take everyone at once, so officials plan to treat users in batches.
Deputy Health Minister Charles Senessie warned that kush remains a deadly threat. He urged the former users to become anti-drug advocates.
What It Means for US Readers
The US Embassy in Freetown lists Sierra Leone at Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution, citing crime, unrest and inadequate health infrastructure. That asks Americans for added care, not for staying away.
Hospitals in Sierra Leone are severely limited, and many outside Freetown take only cash, the UK government warns. Travel insurance with medical evacuation therefore matters for visitors.
Americans who donate or volunteer should know that rehabilitation is run by Sierra Leone’s government with partners such as Partners In Health. Check any charity’s registration before giving.
What Is Not Known
The chemical makeup of kush is not stated in the sources reviewed. No current national count of users, deaths or hospital cases for 2026 could be confirmed.
Whether the special drug court and the security unit announced in October 2025 are operating is not confirmed. The size and spending of the special fund are also unknown.
Commentators have asked why officials seemed slow to act early in the epidemic. Claims of deliberate political use of the drug remain unproven, and this guide treats neither as fact.
What Comes Next
The next markers to watch are the drug-law review by the Attorney General’s office and any start of the special court. No dates for either appear in the sources reviewed.
More batches of patients are planned at the psychiatric hospital. Context is in Sierra Leone Explained 2026, the report on the weak leone, kush and iron ore and the jobs budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is kush in Sierra Leone?
Kush is a synthetic street drug blamed for severe wounds, dependence and deaths among young people. Its chemical makeup is not confirmed in the sources reviewed.
Has Sierra Leone declared an emergency over kush?
Yes. President Julius Maada Bio declared a national emergency in April 2024, then announced five more measures in October 2025.
How many people has kush killed in Sierra Leone?
No complete national death count is confirmed. Freetown’s city council reported collecting more than 200 bodies of people who died of drug-related causes between January and October 2025.
Is Sierra Leone safe for American visitors?
The US Embassy lists Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution, citing crime, unrest and inadequate health infrastructure. Check the State Department page and enrol in its Smart Traveler Enrollment Program before you go.
Sources: President Bio and police statements on five new measures against kush, as reported in local press (State House meeting, late October 2025; reported 3 November 2025); Sierra Leone Psychiatric Teaching Hospital and Ministry of Health statements on the discharge of 40 users, as reported in local press (14 January 2026); Government of Sierra Leone national emergency and Ministry of Health case estimates, as reported in the press (8 April 2024); Sierra Leonean analysts and officials on the causes of the crisis, as reported in local press (20 May 2026); US Embassy in Freetown, travel advisory Level 2 (page modified 15 October 2026); UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Sierra Leone travel advice (all accessed 31 October 2026).
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief