Sierra Leone president warns kush drug peddlers
President Bio visits a rehabilitation center and urges immediate cessation of illicit drug trade.
President Julius Maada Bio has ordered sellers of the synthetic drug Kush and other harmful substances to stop their trade immediately. He issued the warning during a visit to the Government’s Harmful Drug Rehabilitation Facility in Hastings on October 30, 2025. The president assured victims that his administration is committed to ending the sale of these drugs.
Bio expressed sadness that some parents are involved in selling Kush and urged them to find honest livelihoods. He called on the police and judiciary to take stronger action against illegal drug traders. Addressing drug users, he stated that their future is essential for Sierra Leone's development and that the government is working to break the drug supply chain. Kush has caused the deaths of many young people since 2019.
The government has established rehabilitation centers in Hastings, Gondama, and Daru, with plans for another in Teko. Parents shared their struggles, including one whose lawyer son lost his career to Kush addiction before receiving free government treatment. A former user, now an ambassador against drug use, credited the Hastings facility for her recovery and return to school. The Presidential Task Force on Drugs and Substance Abuse was launched, and a national emergency declared to combat drugs.
Why it mattersYoung people and their families in Sierra Leone are directly affected by the pervasive Kush drug crisis and the government's efforts to combat it.