Monrovia – A media executive, turned politician has termed the menace of drug abuse in Liberia as national issues that must be tackled holistically by Government.
Speaking when he launched the National Drug Awareness Campaign of the nonprofit group, Liberia Initiative for Empowerment (LIFE); Mr. Carlton Boah stressed, “Drug addiction is a national issue. Government has to deal with it before any other people deal with it”.
The campaign, launched under the theme, “Regaining the lost mind and maintaining the valuable ones” was held at the Geda AME Church edifice in Brewerville on Saturday, 27 August.
Also, the Pastor of the Geda AME Church, Rev. Johnny W. Cummings also thrilled the about 150 drug users with his life-touching message. “I have been a victim”, Rev. Cummings narrated; stressing, “I have been one time in my life hit by this epidemic”.
“It starts small, it doesn’t start big. It started with cigarette and then moved on to marijuana. However, it graduated to cocaine”, he explained.
With the message touching the lifestyle of many of the users attending the program, they began to shout, “Preach it”!
The Executive Director of Liberians Against Drug Abuse (LADA), Eugene David says the “best way to stop doing drug is not to start it”. He then called on Liberians to show affection to drug users.
“The community members have to show love to drug addicts to get them out of the addiction”; David asserts.
He also added that in the quest to curb the importation of illicit drugs, the communities have to ensure the prevention of the consumption of the substances. “If you don’t have the demand for illicit, the importation will be less”, David concluded.
For her part, the Executive Director of Liberia Initiative for Empowerment (LIFE), Madam Jodie M. Reid-Seton emphasized that this is just the beginning of her group’s effort to fight Drug Abuse in Liberia.
“You will see us regularly in the ghettos here in Brewerville and around Liberia spreading the message that you are greater than how you see yourself now”.
“I am so proud of every one of you that turnout today”.
Speaking on behalf of the Drug users, five starred Bobby Quiwonkpa lauded Madam Seton and her staff for reaching to them.
“We’ve been abandoned but for her choosing to come to us, it will help us recover from this lifestyle”, the son of the slain Commander of the Armed Forces asserted.
The Liberia Initiative for Empowerment is a nonprofit group founded by Mrs. Seton and her colleagues with the sole aim of reaching out to the less fortunate and forgotten to give them deserving life that will turn them into productive citizens.