Monrovia — Liberian lawmakers have publicly admitted the government's failure to curb drug trafficking and abuse, pledging to take urgent action after receiving a petition from anti-drug campaigners during Thursday's "Say No to Drugs" march in Monrovia.
The protest, organized by Concerned Liberians Against Drug Abuse, drew hundreds of citizens demanding tougher laws, stricter penalties, and the political will to dismantle the networks fueling the nation's drug crisis.
In their petition, campaigners accused the government of allowing traffickers and dealers to operate with impunity.
"While the victims of drug addiction waste away, the real enemies who are the drug traffickers and dealers walk free, shielded by weak laws, easy bail conditions, lenient sentences, and accomplices in positions of authority," the petition read. "They profit from the destruction of our children, the tears of mothers and fathers, and the collapse of our communities. This cannot continue! We refuse to idly watch an entire generation perish!"
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The campaigners, mostly women and youths- under the banner "SAY NO TO DRUGS CAMPAIGN", braved the heavy downpour of rain early Thursday morning to stage a peaceful protest against the proliferation of ghettoes and influx of dangerous substances including Kush, Cocaine, Heroin, Italian White, amongst others in Liberia.
In the petition, the campaigners claimed that Liberia is bleeding due to the influx of illegal drugs not only in Monrovia, put other parts of the country.
"Our beloved Liberia is bleeding; communities are living in fear, despair and hopelessness. Every day we witness the heartbreaking scars of our families and friends lying on the street corners like they are living dead."
They observed that many of the victims of drug abuse are "young people with bright future", including doctors, teachers and national leaders, amongst others.
Gbarpolu County Senator Botoe Kanneh offered a heartfelt apology to the protesters.
"We want to say sorry to you people because we have failed you -- the government has failed you, the partners have failed," she said. "We are going to start a new beginning... everything that should be done will be done, by the grace of God."
Representative Prince Toles (District #8, Montserrado County), Chair of the House Committee on Claims and Petitions, called the document "the most important petition" he had received in his role.
"We too are parents... and we are seeing the impact of drugs in our country," he said. "If I had my own way, I would say we should have capital punishment for people who import drugs into our country."
The match which drew thousands of people from all walks of life as they converged on Capitol Hill, was marked by admissions of institutional neglect and passionate appeals for a new beginning.
The petition calls for sweeping reforms, including harsher penalties for traffickers, establishment of a special drug court, expansion of rehabilitation services, and the designation of August 7 as National Day Against Drug Abuse.
"If I Had My Way, I'd Recommend Capital Punishment," said Rep. Prince Toles, House Committee Chair on Claims and Petitions noted, after receiving the petition. Rep. Toles suggested capital punishment for those found guilty of importing illegal drugs into Liberia.
"I'm not speaking for my colleagues, but for myself," he said. "If I had my way, I would recommend capital punishment for drug importers, so that they can be eliminated from our society."
Bong County Representative James Kolleh, Chair of the House Committee on Rules, Order and Administration, did not mince words in describing the severity of the crisis.
Addressing the petitioners directly, he pledged to present the recommendations to the House leadership when the Legislature reconvenes.
"When we return, we will ensure that these recommendations are acted upon," Kolleh said.
"Because drugs are not just destroying your children, they are destroying all of us."
A Nation in Crisis
The petitioners painted a grim picture of a country overwhelmed by addiction, with an estimated 100,000 citizens, mostly young people, trapped in cycles of substance abuse and despair.
The coalition described street corners across Liberia as "graveyards of potential," where addicts are reduced to "living dead."
"We are a nation in crisis," the petition reads.
"The tears of our mothers, the suffering of our youth, and the daily tragedies in our communities demand immediate and decisive action."
The group blamed the failure of enforcement institutions, weak laws, and unchecked trafficking networks for the rapid erosion of public safety and social cohesion.
Six 'Bold' Demands
The group's petition outlines six urgent policy actions, calling for enactment of tougher sentences, amending existing drug laws to mandate 20 years to life imprisonment for convicted traffickers and major drug criminals, creation of a Special Drug Court, establish a judicial arm dedicated to swift and focused prosecution of drug-related cases.
They also called for the expansion of rehabilitation services, invest in modern, community-based rehabilitation centers, treating addiction as a public health crisis, not merely a criminal matter, iternatives for Minor Users and promote supervised rehabilitation instead of incarceration for non-violent, low-level drug users.
The want August 7 be declared as National Day Against Drug Abuse, as an annual day of awareness, reflection, and community mobilisation. And call for Legislative Sacrifice by Urging lawmakers to contribute a portion of their salaries and benefits toward drug prevention, education, and rehabilitation efforts.
"We refuse to stand by and watch an entire generation perish. The people of Liberia are watching. We demand bold leadership, visionary action, and uncompromising resolve to save our nation."
Liberia faces a worsening drug crisis, with a 2023 UNFPA study showing that one in five youths use narcotics, particularly the synthetic drug "kush," often laced with fentanyl and methamphetamine. Civil society reports identified over 866 drug dens in Monrovia alone. Despite President Boakai's pledge to combat the epidemic and allocate US$3.5 million for rehabilitation and prevention programs under the "Kush Must Go" initiative, an FPA/New Narratives' investigative report found little of the funding has reached service providers. Currently, only 163 people are receiving government-funded treatment nationwide.
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A call on President Boakai
The petitioners are calling on the government to establish the Liberia Drug Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Reintegration Agency to strengthen national efforts in combating drug abuse and supporting victims.
They urged the President to issue an executive order declaring illicit drugs a national pandemic--similar to Ebola and COVID-19--and to designate August 7 each year as Liberia's National Drug Day.
Additionally, they proposed the creation of a presidential anti-drug task force comprising representatives from civil society organizations, religious institutions, the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), the Liberia National Police (LNP), and the Liberia National Bar Association (LNBA), to work in collaboration with the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA).
The task force, they said, should be mandated to raise public awareness, establish a call center, monitor drug-related cases, and create community-based anti-drug task forces, among other responsibilities.
Meanwhile, the lawmakers promised to present the petition to the leadership of the House of Representatives for submission to the Executive, marking what activists hope will be the start of meaningful reforms to Liberia's embattled anti-drug efforts.
