Alongside cocaine, MDMA and ecstasy, new drugs are emerging on the market. On Wednesday, the United Nations warned of the spread of three new substances called “Kush”, “Gaddafi” and “Monkey Dust”, highlighting the health risks associated with their use, particularly in Africa. These drugs, often with varied and unknown compositions, pose serious threats to public health.
According to the annual report of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), these substances usually contain a dangerous mixture of pharmaceuticals, alcohol and solvents. Recent reports have documented the harmful effects of their increasing consumption.
Last April, Sierra Leone declared a state of national emergency over the skyrocketing use of ” Kush“, a synthetic mixture of marijuana, fentanyl and tramadol. In response to excessive use of the drug, ” Gaddafi » — a mixture of tramadol and alcoholic energy drinks — Ivory Coast banned the import and export of these drinks last year.
Drugs ” Monkey Dust“, commonly used in Nigeria, often consists of artisanal gin mixed with cannabis seeds, leaves, branches and roots, according to the UNODC.
Cannabis: Still the Unbeatable Drug in Africa
Although cannabis remains the most produced, trafficked and consumed drug in Africa, UNODC reports an increase in trafficking of other substances such as cocaine from Latin America, heroin and methamphetamine from South-West Asia. Africa serves as a corridor for trafficking of these drugs to Europe and other destinations.
UNODC stressed the need for countries to improve their laboratory testing capabilities to help law enforcement and health agencies contain the spread of these new drugs. “ Local drug markets in Africa are constantly diversifying, moving from the dominance of locally produced cannabis to a growing array of other trafficked drugs.“, said UNODC. “ This diversification complicates health problems related to drug use, especially since drug treatment services in West Africa are limited. »
It was also noted that more than 90% of global tramadol seizures over the past five years have occurred on the African continent.
