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Dressed in all black, carrying placards with inscriptions, “say no to drug abuse” and “stand against drug abuse,” thousands of Liberians from all walks of life marched on the streets of Monrovia. They also marched in other parts of the country, including Grand Bassa County, in demand of stricter measures against illicit drugs and harmful substances in the country.
Under a downpour of rain, the predominantly women’s group appeared frustrated and tired. Their faces were drenched with tears, and their hearts were filled with pain as they cried profusely as they marched on the grounds of the Capitol Building, the official seat of the Liberian National Legislature.
This march received massive media publicity, both traditional media (radio and Television) and social media, as seen here, here, and here.
What triggered this march?
On July 18, 2025, Madam Roseline Amah Giddings took to her Facebook page expressing her frustration about her first son, who is 25 years old, having been snatched away from her by drugs.
Madam Giddings said, “I have two children, and my first child, who is supposed to be helping me by now at the age of 25, is a drug addict, and it hurts to hear people say this whole drug thing is a cartel, and if anyone talks about it, they will be chased after.”
Her video drew the attention of the entire country, and the planning process for the August 7, 2025, peaceful “Say No To Drug” march began.
The peaceful march held on Thursday, August 7, 2025, drew the attention of civil society organisations, student organisations, religious groupings, as well as grieving parents, most of whom have lost their children to drug addiction.
The campaign was dubbed “Say No To Drugs,” as campaigners chanted “No more zombies” and “We’re tired of Kush” while peacefully marching on the principal streets of Monrovia in one of the most impassioned citizen-led rallies in Liberia’s recent history.
This march cuts across political affiliation, economic status, religious background, or name brands, as Liberians gathered in their masses, including former Vice President Madam Jewel Howard-Taylor and current Second Lady Madam Synleseh Stephenie Dahn Koung, to petition the government.
What are their demands?
The campaigners’ demand was contained in a document titled “A Cry to Save a Dying Generation and Protect Our Future.” Among other things, the document called for the creation of a presidential anti-drug task force, mandatory rehabilitation for users, a 20-year minimum sentence for major drug offences, and the confiscation and auctioning of assets linked to the drug trade.
The anti-drug abuse campaigners in a more than twenty-count petition, of which five are to the Legislature and fifteen are to the President, are seeking an executive order declaring the drug crisis a national health emergency, similar to the situation of Ebola and the COVID-19 crisis in the country.
The petition quotes the campaigners as saying, “The creation of a presidential anti-drug task force, mandatory rehabilitation for users, a 20-year minimum sentence for major drug offences, and the confiscation and auctioning of assets linked to the drug trade.”
The campaigners further called on the government of Liberia to amend the country’s drug laws. As it stands, drug violation is considered a first-degree felony. If found guilty, the person faces a sentence of 10 to 20 years in prison, something the campaigners want lawmakers to push to a minimum of 20 years and up to life imprisonment through amendment.
Government Response
In response to the campaigners’ petition, the government had already issued a statement outlining new executive measures aimed at combating drug abuse in the country.
In a statement, President Boakai, the Liberian leader, said, “Today, I address you not just as your President, but as a father, a citizen, and a patriot deeply disturbed by the dangerous surge of drug abuse and trafficking in our country. What we are witnessing across Liberia is not merely a rise in crime — it is an attack on our future.”
The statement also outlines a National Anti-Drug Action Plan that the Government intends to begin enforcing immediately. This plan includes seizing any property used to harbour or support drug dealers, consistent with the law. To the extent allowed by law, landlords, neighbours, and accomplices will be arrested and prosecuted.
The statement noted, among other things, “An anti-drug curriculum will be introduced in schools, with random drug testing being introduced in high-risk institutions and populations. The bank accounts and assets of suspected drug traffickers will be frozen immediately, as we work with financial institutions to expose criminal networks. Finally, we will significantly increase the national anti-drug budget.”
Conclusion
At the end of the street campaign against drug abuse, Liberians and the public are now looking forward to seeing a more rigorous and robust crackdown in the fight against drug abuse in the country, and not just a mere document or blueprint for the betterment of Liberian society.
