By: Arret Jatta
The National Assembly Member for Banjul North, Modou Lamin Bah, on Wednesday raised the issue of Kush at the floor of the National Assembly in an attempt to address the alarming prevalence of the potent hallucinogenic drug in The Gambia.
According to official statistics, Kush has so far claimed the lives of more than 10 young people in The Gambia.
“I rise to speak on a very concerning issue-KUSH-a potent and highly addictive drug, which has become a growing scourge in our beloved nation. The alarming rise in the prevalence of this illicit and toxic substance has not only claimed the lives of countless young people but has also fueled a disturbing surge in crime and mental health disorders across the country,” Bah told the House.
Relying on recent reports, the Banjul North NAM highlighted that more than 100 Kush cases have been reported, including deaths among young users.
“The distribution and consumption of Kush has become deeply entrenched in Gambia’s social fabric with criminal networks exploiting the vulnerabilities of the youth and capitalizing on the lack of robust government control mechanisms,” he decried.
He accused the Ministry of the Interior of losing the fight against Kush.
“The Ministry of Interior, tasked with maintaining law and order, has fallen short in its efforts to curb this growing menace, leaving communities to grapple with the devastating consequences,” lamented Bah.
He recalled the recent Kush situational report.
“Hon. Speaker, the recent country situation report shared by the National Taskforce for Drug and Substance Abuse “KUSH” on the 24th day of June 2024 exhibits the following;Firstly, that in the recent three weeks,19clinical cases have been reported by health facilities, causing a current total of 113 cases, showing a 20% increase.
Seven new associated suspected deaths from Kush have also been recorded, causing the total to 11 with a case fatality rate of 9.7%. One hundred and seven people have been interdicted. The overwhelming majority of whom are Gambians (73) with an extra five new cases recorded,” he referenced.