08/08/2025
Team GHEI want to sincerely appreciate every Liberian who took their time and came out yesterday to participate in this drug awareness campaign. Your presence is not just a show of concern, it is a bold step toward healing our communities and protecting future generations. As Liberia lawmakers have successfully accepted the petition, it is now more important than ever that we go beyond signing documents and move into action. While the campaign has focused on drugs, we must also remember that to***co and alcohol are equally dangerous substances destroying the health, lives, and futures of our people every single day.
As a Health Organization that believes in Health Education and Promotion, allow Global health empowerment initiative to briefly explain how each of these substances affects our health and community:
1. Ma*****na, often seen as harmless, but long-term use can impair memory, concentration, and learning ability. It can increase the risk of mental health disorders, including anxiety, depression, and even psychosis in vulnerable individuals. For young people, ma*****na affects brain development, reducing motivation and academic performance.
2.Co***ne, a powerful stimulant that speeds up the nervous system. It causes high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, heart attacks, and stroke. Co***ne users often suffer from addiction, leading to financial hardship, broken families, and violent behaviors.
3.Methamphetamine, this is one of the most destructive drugs. It damages the brain, leading to memory loss, aggression, paranoia, and hallucinations. Physical effects include tooth decay, skin sores, and severe weight loss. Long-term use causes permanent brain and body damage.
4.Alcohol, legal but deadly when abused. It leads to liver diseases like cirrhosis, cancers, high blood pressure, and brain damage. It is also a major cause of domestic violence, road accidents, and youth underachievement in our communities. Drinking during pregnancy can cause Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs), damaging unborn children for life.
5.To***co, it's including ci******es and s***f. And contains ni****ne, which is highly addictive. Smoking causes lung cancer, chronic bronchitis, heart disease, and stroke. Secondhand smoke also kills. Children exposed to smoke have higher risks of asthma, ear infections, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Again, each of these substances is not just harming individuals, but destroying families, increasing poverty, overburdening our health systems, and weakening national productivity.
For Immediate action, Parents, talk to your children early and often. Prevention starts at home. Teachers & faith Leaders, use your influence to educate and protect. Youth, you are the future. Protect your body and mind. Say NO to everything. Communities, support those struggling with addiction. Avoid stigmatizing, instead help them find healing, Lawmakers, enforce strong policies that restrict the availability of harmful substances.
Yesterday was not just a campaign, it was the people movement. A movement to restore health, dignity, and purpose to our communities. Let us work together, not just once a year, but every day to make Liberia, Africa and world a healthier and drug free nations.
Thank you once again for showing up and standing up for what is right. Let us stay committed, stay informed, and stay strong.
God bless you all. God bless Liberia 🇱🇷 and God bless the World 🌎
