[imagesource:gencraftai]

A recently emerged substance named ‘kush‘ is causing havoc in West Africa, particularly in Sierra Leone, where it is estimated to claim the lives of approximately a dozen people each week and lead to the hospitalisation of thousands.

By the way, this Sierra Leonean kush is not the same as the similarly named drug in the United States, which is a blend of an “ever-changing host of chemicals” sprayed on plant matter and smoked.

The kush in Sierra Leone is a distinct mixture, combining cannabis, fentanyl (an extremely potent opioid), tramadol (which is also an opioid but less potent than fentanyl (100mg tramadol has the same effect as 10mg morphine)), formaldehyde, and, as some claim, ground-down human bones.

Primarily consumed by men aged 18 to 25, this drug induces episodes of sleepwalking, uncontrolled falls, head impacts against hard surfaces and collisions with moving traffic.

Local criminal gangs are responsible for its production, but the constituent drugs have international origins, likely facilitated by the internet and digital communications.

While cannabis is locally cultivated in Sierra Leone, fentanyl is believed to come from illicit laboratories in China, where it is unlawfully manufactured and shipped to West Africa. Tramadol follows a similar route, originating from illegal labs across Asia. Formaldehyde, known to induce hallucinations, is also reported in this concoction.

As for the inclusion of ground human bones, there is no conclusive evidence about their presence in the drug, their source, or the rationale behind incorporating them. Some speculate that grave robbers supply the bones, but direct evidence is lacking.

The question arises: why include bones in the drug? Some propose that the sulfur content in bones produces a heightened effect. Another theory suggests that the drug content of the bones if the deceased was a fentanyl or tramadol user might be a factor.

However, both hypotheses are improbable. Sulfur levels in bones are not substantial enough, and smoking sulfur would result in inhaling highly toxic sulfur dioxide. Additionally, the drug content in bones is significantly lower than what is required to induce a physiological effect.

Either way, kush exemplifies yet another instance of polydrug combinations that forensic scientists are increasingly recognising all over the show.

In South Africa, a similar tobacco and cannabis-based substance known as nyaope or whoonga exists. In this case, tobacco and cannabis are blended with heroin and antiretroviral drugs used to treat AIDS, some of which have hallucinogenic properties.

Another polydrug variant, termed “white pipe,” involves a mixture of methaqualone (mandrax), cannabis, and tobacco, and is commonly smoked in southern Africa.

These cost-effective substances offer an escape from challenges such as unemployment, the hardships of poverty, incidents of sexual and physical abuse, and, notably in West Africa, the lingering effects of having been a child soldier.

The question then arises: what measures can be taken to address the prevalence of these drugs?

[source:theconversation]