Bong County, Liberia; September 15, 2025 - The rising tide of synthetic drug abuse in Liberia has claimed yet another young life. Hanson Flomo, a man in his early 20s, has reportedly died after consuming a dangerous narcotic known locally as "Android Spark and Die", a substance that has recently gained notoriety for its lethal effects.
According to his father, Mr. Harris Flomo, Hanson had battled drug addiction since 2020, despite the family's persistent efforts to rescue him from that path.
"I am deeply saddened by his death and urge other young people to stay away from drugs before it's too late," Mr. Flomo told sympathizers and relatives over the weekend in Gbarnga, Bong County.
The late Hanson Flomo was once a student of St. Martin's Catholic High School in Gbarnga, one of the top institutions in the region, but reportedly dropped out due to persistent substance use. His death adds to the growing list of fatalities tied to synthetic drug abuse among Liberia's disadvantaged or at-risk youth population.
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Though health authorities have yet to release the official cause of death, Hanson is believed to have consumed "Sparking Android", a synthetic substance said to be so dangerous that it either causes instant death or extreme mental breakdown.
On Sunday, September 14, 2025, another unidentified youth reportedly died in the Old Road community in Sinkor, Monrovia, also allegedly from using the same drug. Photos of two more deceased individuals, victims of the same substance, have surfaced from the CEMENCO Community on Bushrod Island.
Since the declaration of a national anti-drug campaign by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, reports estimate that over 50 disadvantaged youths (Zogos) have died across various parts of the country due to Sparking Android and similar substances.
The deaths are reportedly occurring at an alarming rate, averaging more than one per day, in several densely populated communities, especially in Montserrado County.
The rapid rise in drug-related deaths, particularly among youths aged 15-30, has placed significant pressure on Liberia's health, law enforcement, and social welfare systems. While the Boakai administration's anti-drug campaign has brought attention to the crisis, families and local leaders say more must be done, and fast.
