Psychoactive drug kush has prompted a wave of deaths, mental health issues and the digging up of graves.

Sierra Leone’s president has declared a national emergency over rampant drug abuse.

Kush, a psychoactive blend of addictive substances, has been prevalent in the country for years.

President Julius Maada Bio called the drug a “death trap” and said it posed an “existential crisis”.

One of the drug’s many ingredients is human bones - security has been tightened in cemeteries to stop addicts digging up skeletons from graves.

Groups of mostly young men sitting on street corners with limbs swollen by kush abuse is a common sight in Sierra Leone.

  • elliot_crane@lemmy.worldEnglish
    11·
    3 months ago

    Yeah… that’s insane. I recently had surgery and was administered a small dose of fentanyl via IV while being held in post-op, I was also prescribed tramadol for pain management afterwards. Both drugs turned me into a zombie on their own. I can’t imagine mixing both, and also layering on weed, as a recreational substance.

    • Drusas@kbin.run
      6·
      3 months ago

      I’ve had fentanyl post-op once and that shit works. Made it easy to understand how it could cause an addiction crisis.

      Tramadol, on the other hand, does almost nothing in my experience. Doesn’t cause the high and doesn’t help with pain.

      • elliot_crane@lemmy.worldEnglish
        3·
        3 months ago

        Perhaps I’m more sensitive to tramadol, because for me it does slightly dull pain, but also makes me profoundly drowsy and itchy. I took it for one day after being prescribed and decided that tylenol was a better option.

        • Drusas@kbin.run
          1·
          3 months ago

          That sounds unpleasant. Does sound like you’re probably sensitive to it in some way.

    • Corkyskog@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      1·
      3 months ago

      If there are both, you won’t feel the tramadol. When the ratio is high enough, it will make it suck less when the Fentanyl wears off and give it longer action though. It’s kind of like saying they smoked meth with cocaine sprinkled on top. The meth is doing the heavy lifting.