Monrovia, Liberia – With effect from Friday, August 22, 2025, the government, acting through the Ministry of Health, has imposed a statewide ban on the sale and distribution of Shisha and Tramadol as part of a comprehensive effort to combat Liberia’s escalating drug problem.
The move is part of increased enforcement of Part V, Chapter 41 of Liberia’s Public Health Law (Control of Narcotic Drugs), which forbids the possession, sale, or distribution of prescription or non-prescription drugs without a permit from the Liberian Pharmacy Board and the Minister of Health’s approval, said Health Minister Dr. Louise M. Kpoto, who made the announcement.
Nowadays, the usage of tramadol is carefully restricted to hospital settings with licenses and in close supervision of qualified medical personnel. In both public and private places, such as bars, nightclubs, drinking establishments, and even residences, shisha, also known as hookah, is fully prohibited. Arrest, product confiscation, and license revocation are among the immediate consequences for violators of this directive.
According to Minister Kpoto, this moratorium is an uncompromising and resolute action to preserve national stability, save lives, and protect our kids. With the full power of government authority, the Ministry of Health will execute this rule in Liberia, which is currently experiencing a severe drug epidemic.
Health officials caution that the most commonly abused medicine in Liberia is synthetic opioids like Tramadol. Its abuse is contributing to an increase in addiction, gender-based violence, mental health disorders, and criminal activity, especially among youth. Hospitals in Monrovia and other regions of the nation have seen an increase in emergency cases related to withdrawal and overdose from Tramadol in recent years.
In contrast, shisha has been romanticized in nightlife circles and is frequently mistaken for a safe substitute for cigarettes. However, the Ministry claims that Shisha smoke has significant quantities of carbon monoxide, nicotine, and other toxins, which puts users at risk for heart disease, lung cancer, respiratory infections, and lifetime addiction, particularly among young people in Liberia.
According to the Ministry’s statement, these drugs are upending families and causing instability in communities. They are depriving the youth of Liberia of their future, their potential, and their health.
Narcotics including morphine, codeine, heroin, methadone, oxycodone, fentanyl, and tramadol are still completely forbidden under Chapter 41 of the Public Health Law unless prescribed and delivered in authorized medical facilities, the Ministry reminded the public.
Over the past ten years, Liberia’s drug problem has gotten worse. Over 47,000 young people nationally were deemed to be at high risk of drug misuse, according to a 2023 survey conducted by the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) and international partners. Tramadol was found to be the most easily accessible and often abused opioid.
Increased rates of unemployment, school dropouts, homelessness, and petty criminality have also been connected to drug consumption; in fact, several towns have reported the rise of so-called “ghettos” where young people gather to take drugs. Minors as young as 13 have occasionally been discovered to be addicted to Shisha and Tramadol.
The crisis has proven difficult for previous administrations to handle. Due to a shortage of rehabilitation facilities, permeable borders, and inadequate LDEA capacity. The Weah administration’s 2021 National Anti-Drug Campaign had little success in terms of enforcement. The Controlled Drug and Substances Act, passed by the Liberian Legislature in 2023, changed the definition of drug possession to one that does not require bail. However, the drug flow went mostly uncontrolled due to enforcement flaws and corruption in the legal system.
The administration of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, which began operations in January 2024, promised to make combating drug misuse a top priority because it poses a threat to public health and national security. Analysts claim that the most recent moratorium is the government’s most audacious move to date in upholding the law and limiting access to harmful chemicals.
For this enforcement campaign, the Ministry of Health has urged support from every corner of society. The ban must be rigorously complied with by pharmacy operators and distributors, health professionals must adhere to prescription and dispensing requirements, and law enforcement must take strong action against violators.
“We will not compromise when it comes to protecting the health and future of Liberian citizens,” Dr. Kpoto reaffirmed the government’s unwavering position. Drug misuse is not only a health problem; it poses a threat to national security.
