By: Naneka A. Hoffman
Monrovia, Liberia; August 13, 2025 – The Diocesan Bishop of the West African Council of the 35th Episcopal District of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World Inc., Dr. Leo M. Simpson, has called on the Liberian government to impose harsh punishments on individuals caught importing illegal drugs into the country.
Speaking in an exclusive interview on August 12, 2025, at his office, Bishop Simpson stressed the urgent need for tougher penalties to curb Liberia’s growing drug crisis.
“The issue of drugs in our country, even though it requires money, is beyond money,” he said.
According to him, while financial resources are important in the fight against drugs, strong laws are equally critical in deterring traffickers.
He emphasized that existing laws are too weak to stop rising influx of narcotics, with traffickers taking advantage of Liberia’s porous borders and weak enforcement systems.
He believes that introducing a death penalty for major traffickers would send a strong message to those involved in the illegal trade.
Bishop Simpson, who also serves as Principal and Chief Administrator of the Haywood Mission Institute in Old Road, Monrovia, described drug abuse in Liberia as a pressing public health and social challenge, particularly affecting youth and vulnerable populations.
He linked the current crisis to the aftermath of Liberia’s civil wars (1989–2003), which left fractured institutions, high unemployment, and deep poverty that have fueled the spread of illegal drug use.
He recalled that many young people were forcibly drugged to participate in combat during the war.
Citing a study, he noted that 44.9% of male combatants and 12.3% of female combatants admitted to using drugs during the conflict. This wartime exposure, he said, has had lasting effects, contributing to today’s widespread drug abuse.
“In the post-war context, substance use has become a key factor contributing to increased interpersonal violence, sexual risk-taking, violent crime, and other problems in Liberian society,” he added.
Bishop Simpson urged the government to overhaul the nation’s drug laws by increasing the maximum jail sentence for drug offenses from ten to twenty years, and ensuring mandatory rehabilitation for all individuals apprehended for drug use whether out on bail or already in prison.
President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., recently announced an aggressive, multi-prong National Anti-Drug Action Plan to address alarming surge of drug abuse and trafficking across Liberia.
This followed receipt of Progress Report of the Multisectoral Steering Committee on Drugs and Substance Abuse, the Executive Mansion says.
According to a release, the President described the proliferation of drugs as “an attack on our future” and reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to safeguard Liberia’s youth, communities, and future generations from the scourge of substance abuse. Editing by Jonathan Browne
