International Youth Day celebrations in Sierra Leone have come under sharp criticism, with many arguing that the event should have been marked by urgent calls to tackle the country’s spiraling drug crisis, rather than the usual speeches and photo opportunities.
Speaking out on the occasion, lawyer and youth advocate Ishmael Sallieu Koroma condemned what he described as “empty rhetoric and glossy policies” in the face of a public health emergency. He said harmful drugs such as Kush and fentanyl have now “infested almost every corner” of the capital, leaving many once-promising young people “mere shadows of themselves.”
“It is unconscionable for a country so deeply scarred by the devastating effects of harmful drugs to hold celebrations in honour of youth, when the very youths we claim to be celebrating are sleeping in the streets, reduced to living like zombies,” Koroma said. “This is both laughable and deeply provoking.”
Kush, a synthetic drug often laced with dangerous chemicals, has been linked to severe mental health issues, debilitating physical conditions, and, in some cases, death. Community leaders and health officials have repeatedly warned that the substance is devastating an entire generation.
With young people making up a significant portion of Sierra Leone’s population, Koroma is calling on the state to take “concrete and decisive measures” to curb the alarming spread of these substances. He suggested that this year’s Youth Day should have been marked by a peaceful protest led by the Minister of Youth and supported by youth groups nationwide, demanding immediate action.
“This is not a problem that can be solved by speeches. It demands coordinated policy, strong law enforcement, public health interventions, and community engagement,” he stressed.
While the government has pledged to address the issue, critics say visible results remain limited. Meanwhile, the growing presence of harmful drugs continues to threaten the future of Sierra Leone’s youth.
