"Look at my ulcer, it keeps getting bigger and bigger. But if I go a day without smoking, I feel terrible." Kush is spreading across West Africa, threatening the lives of tens of thousands of young people. This highly addictive substance, which contains synthetic cannabis, various chemicals, and—according to some disturbing rumors—possibly even ground human bones. Impoverished residents, hooked on the drug, are trapped in desperation as they seek money to procure more. "There is nothing else for us to do. There are no jobs for us", says one anonymous bottle collector. The drug first emerged in 2016, yet the government only took significant action in 2024. In the absence of state support, young citizen activists like Abdul Kamara have become crucial in the fight for resistance. “Almost all addicts want to quit, but the drug is so powerful that withdrawal is nearly impossible,” Kamara explains. Those who go just a few hours without smoking suffer unbearable pain throughout their bodies—leaving them with only one apparent escape: smoking again.