-Demand Urgent Action to Combat Rampant Drug Crisis
By Jerromie S. Walters & Vaye A. Lepolu
Monrovia, Liberia – Liberia’s government is confronting a political stress test as civil society’s call for decisive action on drugs converges with President Boakai’s newly unveiled anti-drug plan. The Aug. 7 peaceful march and the accompanying petition to lawmakers have intensified scrutiny of whether the administration can translate rhetoric into tangible reforms, including stricter penalties, rehabilitation funding, and crosssector coordination. With sixmonth performance deadlines for regional LDEA commanders and the creation of a joint Presidential Anti-Drug Task Force, critics say the government’s credibility now hinges on delivery.
Analysts say the immediate political implications hinge on two factors: legislative willingness to pass tightened drug laws and the administration’s ability to mobilize resources and public support for a sweeping reform agenda. If Parliament acts swiftly—passage of harsher penalties, mandatory rehabilitation, asset forfeiture, and the fasttrack drug court—the government could point to a rare instance of bipartisan urgency and demonstrate governing competence. Conversely, delays or watereddown legislation could fuel opposition and public frustration, risking a slide toward antiincumbent sentiment.
Internationally, the gesture has a mixed signal. The U.S. Embassy’s public endorsement of civilsociety efforts lends legitimacy and could unlock or sustain donor support for rehabilitation and enforcement programs. Yet local audiences may view external validation warily if it appears to eclipse domestic accountability. Watchers say foreign backing could help stabilize funding for implementation but will not substitute for transparent, resultsoriented governance and independent oversight.
For President Boakai, the political calculus is clear: an effective turnaround on drugs could bolster his legitimacy ahead of future elections, reinforce the view that his administration can safeguard youth and communities, and attract investment that hinges on improved security and health outcomes. Failure, however, could deepen public disillusionment, embolden critics, and heighten pressure from both reformminded and reformskeptical factions within the ruling coalition and opposition alike. In the weeks ahead, Liberia will judge not only the seriousness of promises but the speed and verifiability of the actions that follow.
Even the aggressive downpour of rain didn’t stop hundreds of Liberians, including prominent and ordinary, from staging a peaceful March on August 7, 2025, in a call to the national government to tackle what appears to be a rampant drug epidemic affecting the West African nation (Liberia). This stand attracted the attention of the U.S. Embassy in Monrovia which lauded partakers of the March for their courage.
“As Liberians throughout the country take to the streets today to unite against the alarming surge of drug use and trafficking in Liberia, The U.S. Embassy commends civil society groups and community organizations for raising their voices to draw attention to this critical issue and for taking a stand to safeguard Liberia’s youth, communities, and future generations,” the Embassy noted via its official Facebook page mid Thursday.
The prevalence of drug use among youth remains alarming, with recent studies suggesting that approximately 20% of young people in Liberia are using substances. 2 in 10 youth in Liberia are users of narcotic substances. In June of this year, the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) reported that between 2024 and 2025, it (LDEA) seized nationwide a staggering 9,651.23 kilograms of narcotics with a combined street value exceeding $4.9 million (LRD 949 million). The agency’s nationwide operations targeted a range of illegal substances, with the synthetic drug Kush accounting for the largest haul at 5,494.50 kilograms, valued at $2.3 million (LRD 405.5 million).
Partakers of the August 7th anti-drug March, mostly dressed in dominant black peacefully marched to the Capitol Building, the seat of the Liberian legislature, and presented a three-page petition to the House committee on claims and petition Chair Hon. Prince Toles and several other lawmakers including Hon. James Kolleh. The petition, titled “A Cry to Save a Dying Generation and Protect Our Future,” was addressed to President Joseph Boakai, Vice President Jeremiah Koung, Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon, and members of the Legislature. It outlines a comprehensive set of demands aimed at tackling the scourge of illicit drugs through legislative reforms, increased funding for rehabilitation, and systemic changes across multiple sectors.
The document paints a harrowing picture of Liberia’s current state, where communities are living in fear and despair as drugs like marijuana, heroin, kush, cocaine, and amphetamine-type stimulants, including tramadol, ravage the population. These substances, some costing as little as $1.50, are causing severe health crises, including zombie-like disorientation, organ damage, psychosis, and even death. The petition highlights the heartbreaking reality of parents burying their children due to drug overdoses, while others are forced to watch their offspring roam the streets, begging and stealing to feed their addictions.
According to the Global Action for Sustainable Development (GASD) April 2023 Report, Monrovia and its surroundings account for approximately 65% of the country’s substance abuse activity, with over 866 ghettos serving as hubs for illicit drug use and trade. These spaces are home to an estimated 100,000 chronic drug users, a staggering figure that underscores the scale of the crisis.
The petition argues that while victims of addiction waste away, the drug traffickers and dealers responsible for this devastation operate with impunity, shielded by weak laws, lenient sentences, and accomplices in positions of authority. It emphasizes that protecting citizens, especially the youth, from the grip of drugs is not just a moral duty but a constitutional obligation under Article 11(c) of the Liberian Constitution, which guarantees equal protection under the law. To address this crisis, the petition calls for immediate and decisive action from both the Legislative and Executive branches of government.
Legislative Demands:
The legislature passed the amended Drug Law in 2023, which classified drug offenses as non-bailable crimes. The law was intended to regulate, restrict, control, and ultimately eliminate the illegal importation, sale, and use of narcotic substances in Liberia. Despite the enactment of the law, many campaigners expressed concern that implementation remains weak, leaving many young people vulnerable to drug abuse and exploitation.
Now, the concerned Liberians through their petition urge lawmakers to amend the current drug laws to impose stricter penalties, including a minimum prison sentence of 20 years to life for first-degree drug-related felonies, a significant increase from the current 10–20 years. It also calls for mandatory rehabilitation for apprehended drug users, whether they are on bail or imprisoned, to break the cycle of addiction. Additionally, the petition demands that assets and properties acquired through the illicit drug trade be confiscated and sold, with the proceeds redirected to mental health and rehabilitation programs.
Further legislative actions include amending the Customs Tariff Code to reduce or remove tariffs on the importation of drug treatment supplies, establishing a specialized court to fast-track drug-related cases, and creating the Liberia Drug Prevention, Rehabilitation & Reintegration Agency. This agency would serve as the statutory body responsible for leading and coordinating national efforts to address drug abuse through prevention, rehabilitation, reintegration, and prosecution of offenders.
Executive Demands:
The petition calls on President Boakai to issue an executive order declaring illicit drugs a national pandemic, similar to the declarations made during the Ebola and COVID-19 crises. It also proposes the establishment of an annual National Anti-Drug Day on August 7 to raise awareness and mobilize action against substance abuse.
To operationalize these measures, the petition recommends forming a joint Presidential Anti-Drug Task Force (PADTF) comprising civil society organizations, religious institutions, the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), the Liberia National Police (LNP), and the Liberia National Bar Association (LNBA). This task force would collaborate with the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) to create awareness, set up a call center for reporting drug-related activities, and ensure follow-up on cases from reporting to prosecution.
The petition also calls for increased budgetary allocations to at-risk youth programs, the establishment of regional rehabilitation centers, and subsidies for private rehabilitation facilities. It emphasizes the need for free drug rehabilitation services at government facilities, as many affected individuals cannot afford treatment.
Systemic Reforms:
Beyond legislative and executive actions, the petition outlines a series of systemic reforms to address the root causes of drug abuse. These include integrating mandatory education programs on illicit drugs into school curricula, regulating the establishment and operation of rehabilitation centers, and mandating the Liberia Telecommunications Authority to collaborate with GSM companies to set up toll-free hotlines for anonymous tips on drug activities.
The petition also calls for addressing the issue of unfinished buildings in communities, which are often used as drug dens, and enforcing bans on the sale of alcohol and cigarettes to minors. It further recommends mandatory drug testing in schools and prior to employment, as well as immigration screening processes for government officials and VIPs entering or leaving the country.
Following the reading and presentation of the petition, the House of Representatives through its chair on claims and petition Hon. Prince Toles commended the resilience of the campaigners, especially for braving the storm to raise awareness on such a critical national issue, and assured the public that oversight efforts will be intensified to ensure full enforcement of the anti-drug law.
On Wednesday, August 6, 2025, a group of at-risk youth living in Monrovia’s Pelham Building on Center Street appealed directly to a visiting ECOWAS delegation for urgent rehabilitation support and basic services. During the engagement, the youth described their extreme living conditions, including pregnant women being forced to give birth in makeshift gravesites they use as shelters, with one spokesperson stating plainly: “Most of our sisters can deliver in the void.” The youth acknowledged their struggles with drug addiction but emphasized that many turned to substances due to peer pressure and lack of alternatives, pleading for help rather than punishment.
Boakai Unveiled Anti-Drug Plan
Just a day before the march, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. announced a national response to Liberia’s escalating drug crisis, labeling the proliferation of narcotics as “an attack on our future.” The declaration came after the President received a progress report from the Multisectoral Steering Committee on Drugs and Substance Abuse, prompting an aggressive, multi-faceted National Anti-Drug Action Plan aimed at curbing substance abuse and trafficking.
In an Executive Mansion release dated August 6, 2025, President Boakai vowed to protect Liberia’s youth and communities from the devastating effects of drug abuse. “We cannot allow the spread of illicit drugs to turn our children into victims, our communities into ghettos, and our neighborhoods into shelters for criminal elements,” he declared. The President underscored the urgency of the crisis, warning that failure to act decisively would jeopardize the nation’s future.
The newly unveiled plan includes stringent measures such as the seizure of properties linked to drug activities, with landlords and accomplices facing prosecution. Regional commanders of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) will now operate under a strict performance mandate, with a six-month deadline to deliver measurable results. To encourage public involvement, a National Whistleblower Program will offer cash rewards and protection for informants who report drug-related crimes.
Judicial reforms will fast-track drug cases through the courts, ensuring mandatory sentencing for offenders. At the same time, the government will expand rehabilitation centers and reintegration programs to support recovering addicts. Enhanced border surveillance, including scanners and canine units, will be deployed to intercept drug trafficking, while schools will introduce an anti-drug curriculum. Random drug testing will also be conducted in high-risk areas.
President Boakai emphasized that the campaign will be uncompromising, stating, “No status, no title, no uniform, and no connection will protect anyone involved in drugs.” The government will also freeze assets of suspected traffickers in collaboration with financial institutions and reinforce emergency measures allowing raids and lockdowns in drug hotspots. The President has directed increased budgetary allocations for drug enforcement, rehabilitation centers, border security, and nationwide public education campaigns. “Liberia will fund its own fight first,” he asserted, while calling on international partners to support the initiative.
On 30 June 2022, the government of Liberia launched a national fund drive in support of a programme for the rehabilitation and empowerment of At-Risk Youth in Liberia by the Government in collaboration with the United Nations and partners. Unfortunately, this didn’t go as planned. Following his ascendancy to the presidency, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai declared drugs a national health crisis. However, drug addiction is becoming troubling by the day.
Between last year to this year, the LDEA also confiscated 4,040.02 kilograms of marijuana worth $369,098 (LRD 70.1 million), along with smaller but significant quantities of harder drugs. These included 32.69 kilograms of cocaine valued at $1.76 million (LRD 335.4 million), 11.95 kilograms of heroin worth $537,556 (LRD 70.1 million), and 68.73 kilograms of tramadol estimated at $144,413 (LRD 27.4 million). Additionally, the LDEA intercepted 3.4354 kilograms of precursor chemicals used in drug production, with an estimated worth of $8,109 (LRD 1.5 million).
