ILLICIT DRUG AND NARCOTIC substances’ use worldwide is unwelcome by well-meaning societies of many countries of the world, and Liberia should not be exempted from denouncing the use of illicit drug by mainly the youth of the land, who are bound to be future leaders of the nation.
IN A POWERFUL and emotionally charged display of unity, hundreds of Liberians took to the streets on Thursday, August 7, 2025, to demand immediate and decisive government action to combat the growing drug epidemic threatening the nation’s future.
FROM THE VOICES of grieving parents to the chants of outraged youth, the message was clear: “Enough is enough!” The massive anti-drug protest, made up of students, activists, community leaders, and concerned citizens, marched peacefully but passionately through Monrovia, holding signs, singing songs of resistance, and calling on authorities to end what they described as a “national nightmare.”
THIS UPRISING OF civic will signals a critical shift in public consciousness. No longer waiting in silence, Liberians are declaring that the fight against drugs is no longer solely the government’s responsibility—it is a war that must be fought by all.
“OUR CHILDREN ARE dying. Our future is under attack. If the government won’t act, we the people will rise!” one protester cried out as the crowd roared in agreement.
AS ADDICTION AND drug-related crimes surge across the country, citizens are demanding not just promises, but real policies, swift crackdowns on traffickers, and rehabilitation programs to rescue Liberia’s youth from the grip of destruction.
TODAY’S DEMONSTRATION AGAINST illicit drug usage marks a boiling point—and a bold warning: the Liberian people are watching, and they refuse to be silent any longer.
AND THIS IS why President Joseph Nyuma Boakai must be loaded for his bold step to announce sweeping new measures to combat Liberia’s growing drug crisis, declaring the government’s response will be “non-selective and relentless.”
PRESIDENT BOAKAI’S LATEST directive, aimed at strengthening the country’s anti-drug infrastructure despite ongoing fiscal constraints.
THE PRESIDENT HAS ordered that funding be prioritized for a comprehensive national response. This includes the introduction of an anti-drug curriculum in schools, random drug testing, increased operational and logistical support for the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA), expanded rehabilitation services, advanced port and border surveillance technologies, and sustained public education and judicial support mechanisms.
PRESIDENT BOAKAI WAS quoted as saying that “no status, no title, no uniform, and no connection will protect anyone involved in drugs.”
PRESIDENT JOSEPH BOAKAI’S latest statement on Liberia’s drug crisis follows his receipt of a progress report from the Multisectoral Steering Committee on Drugs and Substance Abuse, which he established to lead the government’s response to the escalating crisis.
IN RESPONSE TO alarming revelations of illicit substance usage, President Boakai unveiled a robust National Anti-Drug Action Plan, describing the drug crisis as “an attack on our future.” He reaffirmed his administration’s unwavering commitment to protecting Liberia’s youth and communities from the scourge of substance 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,” the President declared.
TO BE IMPLEMENTED immediately in accordance with existing law, the plan includes seizure of properties linked to drug activities, including the prosecution of landlords and accomplices, performance mandates for LDEA regional commanders, with a six-month results deadline, establishment of a National Whistleblower Program with cash rewards and protection for informants, fast-tracking of drug cases through the courts, with mandatory sentencing and expansion of rehabilitation centers and reintegration programs for recovering users.
IT ALSO INCLUDE the investment in border surveillance, including scanners, canine units, and other advanced security equipment, introduction of anti-drug curriculum in schools and random testing in high-risk areas, reinforcement of the National Drug Emergency, enabling raids and lockdowns where necessary, freezing of assets belonging to suspected traffickers in collaboration with financial institutions, and significant budget increases for drug enforcement, prevention education, and legal reforms
THE PLAN, BOAKAI said, is designed to target every level of the drug chain — from traffickers and distributors to enablers and corrupt officials — and signals a new era in Liberia’s fight against drugs. “Together, we will not just fight, we will win. Liberia will not lose another generation to drugs — not on my watch,” he said.
THE PRESIDENT’S STATEMENT was released on the eve of a mass rally against the proliferation of the drug in Liberia that took place on Thursday, August 7, which was dubbed as the National Day of March Against Drug Abuse and Trafficking. It brought together thousands of Liberians from all walks of life. Organizers describe the march as a “national cry for change, a call to action, and a symbol of hope” in the face of what they call an existential threat to the nation’s youth, peace, and development.
“WE GATHER NOT just to raise awareness, but to reclaim our streets, restore our values, and rebuild the future of young people who have fallen victim to substance abuse,” a statement from the organizers read. “Drug abuse does not only affect individuals — it affects our economy, education, health, and peace.”
AS THIS NATIONAL endeavor to root out the use of illicit drug and substance among mainly the youth of the nation, The Liberian Post joins this endeavor by urging every Liberian to own up to this national project to raid the country of drug traffickers, smugglers, dealers and users in order to save the future of the country.
LIBERIANS HAVE BECOME increasingly alarmed by the visible rise in drug-related crimes, addiction, and the proliferation of synthetic drugs like Kush and Tramadol, especially among the country’s youth. Communities, schools, and even local markets have reportedly become hubs for drug activity, fueling calls for stronger law enforcement, education, and rehabilitation efforts.
IT IS IN this regard that TLP is urging every well-meaning Liberian and foreign residents alike to join in this national campaign and say No to Drug use in Liberia. It is time that each and everyone be it Liberian or foreign residents in Liberia, to come out and expose those evil drug traffickers, smugglers, dealers and users in the various communities, streets, cities and the entire country. No is time, so it has to be NOW or NEVER.
TLP ALSO URGES the Government of Liberia to clamp down hard on security personnel and all law enforcers, as well as any top government official who connived with these evil drug traffickers, smugglers and dealers to proliferate illicit drug usage in the Liberian society. Enough is Enough and the future of Liberia must be secured by raiding the country of illicit drug use.
