By Kemo Cham
SLYDCL has written a 15-page policy brief to the newly appointed Executive Director of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Prince Bull-Luceni, calling for a comprehensive review of Sierra Leone’s 2008 National Drugs Control Act. According to a State House press release, the transition followed a courtesy visit to the NDLEA headquarters after Mr Bull-Luceni was appointed on August 11, 2026, and promoted from his former role as Deputy Executive Director.
The SLYDCL delegation, led by Executive Director Habib T. Kamara, congratulated Mr Bull-Luceni on his elevation and promised to continue working with the agency. SLYDCL is a civil society organisation that seeks to fight drug and substance abuse. It offers medical, rehabilitation support and education to youth and children affected by drugs. The organisation is a key player in addressing drug-related challenges by promoting evidence-based, human rights-centred, and public health solutions.
Presentation of Policy Brief on the Review of the 2008 National Drugs Control Act by SLYDCL. The report highlights several ways the law, which is nearly 20 years old, is disconnected from the changing drug landscape in the country. It offers recommendations to improve Sierra Leone’s legal and policy framework to better respond to emerging substance use trends, strengthen prevention and treatment systems, and scale up rehabilitation, harm reduction, recovery, and social reintegration services.
The brief takes issue with the Act’s classification of possession and personal use as serious drug crimes with large-scale manufacturing and trafficking. Under current laws, illegal buying, selling, possessing, controlling or using drugs can result in a five-year prison sentence. SLYDCL and other campaigners say that this punitive approach penalises people who need health and social interventions, not jail, and undermines public-health goals.
The organisation recognises that the Act includes elements that promote a health-based response. Part IV of the legislation includes treatment and rehabilitation mechanisms such as treatment assessment panels, treatment orders, and penalty suspensions, indicating a non-punitive, therapeutic approach. SLYDCL says that the inclusion of punitive and health-related sections in the same law creates contradictions, which prevent the effective control of drugs and the expansion of treatment and harm reduction programs.
The Policy Brief also underscores the dramatic change in Sierra Leone’s drug situation since 2008. The country is now facing a more complex and volatile drug market, including an emerging synthetic-drug crisis tied to drugs such as “Kush.” SLYDCL says the changes mean enforcement, prevention and care strategies need to be rethought to reduce harm, prevent overdose, protect communities and promote recovery.
SLYDCL supports a health-oriented, human rights approach that emphasises treatment, harm reduction, and social reintegration over punishment. The group stressed that an updated Act should continue to have strong measures on organised trafficking and illicit trade and that non-violent or dependent drug users should not be caught up in a criminal justice system that can compound health and social harms.
SLYDCL urges the NDLEA, led by Prince Bull-Luceni, to engage in dialogue with civil society and other stakeholders on reform. The organisation welcomed the new leadership and vowed to partner with the NDLEA to develop policies that balance enforcement with evidence-based prevention, treatment, and reintegration services. Such reforms are critical to reducing drug-related harms and improving public health outcomes.
