Addiction and the trauma of war: Liberia's youth and the "zombie drug" kush | DW Documentary

Liberia is grappling with an unprecedented drug epidemic. Many young people are turning to kush — known by locals as the drug of the living dead. The "zogos," or people living with addiction, are treated as outsiders. The West African nation was devastated by two civil wars between 1989 and 2003. The result: More than 250,000 dead, thousands of child soldiers and unanswered war crimes. Trauma still plays a major role in society. Many young people try to forget by taking kush. Now, an estimated one in every four young Liberians is addicted to the substance. Kush is a synthetic drug made of a blend of solvents, opioids and artificial cannabinoids, which can be bought for just a few cents. People who use the drug find shelter in the final resting place of the civil war dead — the cemeteries scattered throughout the country's capital, Monrovia. This report takes viewers to a country where more than half the population lives below the poverty line, highlighting the hopelessness of a young generation scarred by the effects of war and drugs. DW also introduces a man who believes, despite all the problems, that it's still possible to save one soul at a time. #documentary #dwdocumentary #dwdocs #liberia #zombiedrug ______ DW Documentary gives you knowledge beyond the headlines. Watch top documentaries from German broadcasters and international production companies. Meet intriguing people, travel to distant lands, get a look behind the complexities of daily life and build a deeper understanding of current affairs and global events. Subscribe and explore the world around you with DW Documentary. Subscribe to: ‬ ⮞ DW Documentary (English): https://www.youtube.com/@DWDocumentary ⮞ DW Documental (Spanish): https://www.youtube.com/@DWDocumental ⮞ DW Documentary وثائقية دي دبليو (Arabic): https://www.youtube.com/@dwdocarabia ⮞ DW Documentary हिन्दी (Hindi): https://www.youtube.com/@dwdochindi ⮞ DW Dokumenter (Indonesian): https://www.youtube.com/@DWDokumenter ⮞ DW Doku (German): https://www.youtube.com/@DWDoku For more visit: http://www.dw.com/en/tv/docfilm/s-3610 Follow DW Documentary on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwdocumentary/ Follow DW Documental on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dwdocumental We kindly ask viewers to read and stick to the DW netiquette policy on our channel: https://p.dw.com/p/MF1G