-One Hospitalized
BY: Shallon S. Gonlor
Contacts: +231881471044/ (WhatsApp) +231778191516
NIMBA COUNTY – Two boys in their early 15s have fallen prey, as one died and the other in critical condition in Bahn City, Nimba County after intake of kush – a cheap illegal drug.
Victims, Menwon Wonlea succumbed to death, while Samuel Karnuah hospitalized as a result of the harmful substance.
The incident reportedly occurred Sunday, December 24, 2023 the eve of Christmas in Bahn City, Nimba County Electoral District#7.
The victims, through ignorant purchased the drug ‘Kush’ from two of their friends identified as Sam Jackson and Philip Karduan who recently returned from Monrovia to the community for Christmas.
Sources said, the alleged drugs traffickers, Sam Jackson and Philip Karduan sold the substance only to the two victims with an amount of $300.00LD each, subjected them to intake the kush drug.
It furthered that, after intake of the substance, the victims falled unconscious on the floor, resulting to Menwon Wonlea’s death upon arrival at the Bahn Health Center and the other, Samuel Karnuah hospitalized based on his critical state.
Reporters who visited the hospital observed victim, Samuel Karnuah in devastating health conditions after overdosing himselves with the kush drug believed to be his first time.
Due to the fast decaying state of the body, authorities of the Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency, Bahn City detachment quickly turnover the livelss body of Menwon Wonlea to family members for bearer in order to avoid pollution.
Following the reported incident, the LDEA Bahn City detachment toured the scene and arrested suspects Sam Jackson and Philip Karduan for being in possession of illegal drug “Kush”, pending thorough investigation.
Meanwhile, Bahn City detachment of the Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency (LDEA) disclosed criminal conviction records of suspect Sam Jackson previous involvement in drugs business, while suspect Philip Karduan records first encounter.
Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea, are struggling with an increasing number of young people becoming addicted to a substance known as kush or K2, while the abuse of the drug has already killed several people in the region.
Kush or K2 is molded and smoked like a cigarette or cannabis, however, the illegal synthetic drug has proven to be very dangerous due to rising cases of death in Liberia as well as neighboring Sierra Leone and Guinea.
After a few puffs, the consumer is left stoned, unable to stand upright, yet despite the aftereffects which include falling, body injuries, and loss of self-esteem users still search for an opportunity to obtain more.
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), has estimated that two out of ten Liberian youths are users of narcotic substances.
In their pursuit to sustain their desires and drug use, young people living in ghettos, on street corners, and in cemeteries often poresort to criminal activities, including armed robberies.
However, the Ministry of Youth and Sports has previously stated that the growing population of “At-Risk Youth” in Liberia is influenced by factors such as peer pressure, poverty, sexual and physical abuse, weak family support systems, and intergenerational drug use.
