"We Owe a Cock to Asclepius”: Liberia’s Youth Are Dying, and Silence Is No Cure Editorial By Atty. James N. Jensen 2A Newspaper

The Hemlock of Our Time

From ghettos to schoolyards, from street corners to prison cells, young Liberians are being consumed by narcotics—especially kush, tramadol, and other synthetic substances. These are not isolated tragedies. They are symptoms of a deeper institutional failure:

• A health system unequipped to treat addiction

• A justice system that criminalizes instead of rehabilitates

• A government that issues statements but not solutions

The hemlock is not philosophical—it is chemical. And it is killing the future of our nation.

Socratic Courage in a Culture of Denial

Socrates taught that philosophy is preparation for death—not in despair, but in truth. In Liberia, truth is not just uncomfortable—it is urgent. We must ask:

• Who profits from the drug trade?

• Why are rehabilitation centers underfunded or nonexistent?

• What does accountability look like when the state itself is silent?

To be philosophical now is to be political. It is to name the crisis, document the damage, and demand systemic change.

Youth as Healers, Not Victims

Our youth are not just statistics. They are artists, thinkers, builders, and leaders. But they are being robbed of their potential by addiction, stigma, and neglect. Through platforms like 2A Newspaper, we must amplify their voices—not as passive victims, but as active agents of change.

• Let them write their stories

• Let them design campaigns

• Let them demand rehabilitation, not incarceration

Cultural preservation means nothing if the culture itself is dying.

A New Offering to Asclepius

If Socrates offered a rooster to the god of healing, let us offer something greater:

• A youth-led movement for drug awareness and recovery

• A coalition of journalists, educators, and health workers demanding reform

• A national reckoning with the systems that allow this crisis to fester

We do not seek martyrdom. We seek transformation. And we will not wait for permission.