By Precious D. Freeman
A group of protesters under the banner ‘Justice Forum Liberia’ is calling on the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Health (MOH) to ban the sale of Shisha and Kush in Liberia.
In a petition delivered to the Ministry of Health on Monday, the group through its founder, Maxson Kpakio explained that the substances had led a ransom number of young people displaced.
Kpakio led several men and women at the main entrance of the Ministry of Health, and then ended up at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with placards bearing the inscription, “Our children are dying from drugs, let the government intervene” We say no to drugs in our community and the whole of Liberia; New killer drug is in town; it is killing too many young people; let’s act together against it;” among others.
According to him, the group waves of young people deaths are linked to the smoking of the harmful narcotic substances being imported in the country.
Reading the petition on behalf of the group, Mr. Kpakio said further that these hard substances can lead to changes in one’s vision, fertility problems, mental health, increment in the risk of diabetes, raises cancer risk, among others.
The group lamented how kush killed some young folks in the Soniwein Community and that it is still killing them in other communities, adding that MOH has to intervene as the health of the youth is at risk in the country.
The organization is also recommending to the Ministry and other necessary institutions involved to ban the sale and consumption of all smoking related products in public places be prosecuted.
At the same time, the group is recommending that Health Ministry print billboards, record jingos, and create rooms for a constant awareness regarding the danger in taking these drugs.
Receiving the petition, the Assistant Minister for Administration at the Ministry of Health, George Payger Jacobs thanked the group for bringing to the government’s knowledge the usage of the kush substance and promised to forward it to the Minister, and that appropriate actions will be taken.
“On behalf of the Minister who is not here, we will like to say thank you so much for bringing these issues to our attention; we will do our best and give you a response soon,” he added.
