Seminar: The Impact of Marshmallow Leaf(Kush) in the Community

On June 14, 2024, an emergency meeting was held at the Emergency Operation Center (EOC), presided over by Mr. Ansu Konneh, the Director of the Mental Health Ministry of Social Welfare.

Dr. Carol, the Head of the Mental Health Secretariat, underscored the necessity for all organizations to register with relevant councils and ministries to access future funding opportunities. She emphasized the importance of respecting the human rights of drug victims, particularly minors, and highlighted the need for a rights-based approach in their treatment and psychosocial counselling. She stressed the protection of service providers' roles and maintained a stance of zero tolerance for abuse. The meeting also focused on programmatic reflection, underscoring the dignity and autonomy of service users, and the presence of policies promoting non-discrimination and accountability. Specific principles discussed included respect, no corporal punishment, no chaining, and emotional discipline .

Mr. Joe, the Director of Communication at the National Taskforce, highlighted the serious symptoms of drug withdrawal and the need for service providers to educate drug victims about it. He urged organizations to use hotline 117 to report any Kush production and manufacturing locations and announced the development of an app to share information, videos, and images.

Other speakers Dr. Gibro of AENET and Dr. Vandi discussed the impact of the drug Kush and the National Taskforce's role in addressing this urgent situation.