The Silent War: How Drugs and Substance Abuse Are Destroying South Sudan

A nation’s future is at risk as drugs claim more lives than bullets.

South Sudan is facing a silent war, one that is claiming lives, destroying families, and threatening the future of an entire nation. This war is not fought with guns, but with bottles, powders, pills, and smoke. Across our cities, villages, and refugee settlements, drugs and substance abuse are spreading like wildfire, leaving behind broken bodies, shattered minds, and grieving families.

The problem is everywhere. Some men and women drink dangerous alcohols such as Michael Makuei vodka, Red Tops, and locally brewed Araqi nicknamed as (kill me quick). Many young men, women and boys smoke marijuana, chew tobacco, and puff shisha in public spaces, while children in the streets sniff glue, aerosols, and even aircraft fuel to numb their hunger and pain. In some circles, cocaine and opium are making their way into the country, while prescription drugs such as tramadol, codeine syrups, morphine, and benzodiazepines are illegally sold and abused. Khat chewing is gaining popularity in border towns, and social drugs once foreign to South Sudanese life are now part of daily reality. What was once whispered about in dark corners is now seen openly on our streets.

The consequences are devastating. Families are collapsing as parents neglect responsibilities under the influence. Domestic violence and sexual abuse rise when people are intoxicated. Hospitals are overwhelmed with patients suffering from liver disease, psychosis, brain damage, and overdoses. Youth productivity is being destroyed, as many who should be in classrooms or workplaces are instead trapped in cycles of addiction. “Abuse of such substances not only affects an individual alone but contributes to social nuisance. It is a chief contributor to communal and nationwide dysfunction as youth productivity is threatened due to mental and later physical incapacitation, and increases in crime rates like theft, violence of all manner and sexual abuses,” says Mary Gune Body, a community advocate who has long warned of this growing crisis.

The damage is not only personal but national. Economically, the country loses its workforce as able-bodied men and women waste away in drugs. Unemployment rises while healthcare systems are stretched thin with preventable illnesses. Socially, communities are broken, trust disappears, and children are left to raise themselves. Politically, drug abuse fuels insecurity as crime and violence become the daily reality in neighborhoods. Spiritually, it erodes the soul of the nation, replacing dignity and hope with despair and shame.

This is why many leaders are sounding the alarm. Mangok Mangok Mayen, a respected scholar and community leader, explains: “South Sudan is bleeding from within. Guns may have fallen silent in some areas, but drugs are now killing our people silently. We cannot build a new nation if our young men are intoxicated, our women are burdened alone, and our children are inhaling fuel to survive. The time for action is now.” His words reflect the urgent need to treat this not as a private weakness, but as a national emergency.

If nothing is done, South Sudan risks losing an entire generation. Already, classrooms are emptying as young people abandon their studies for drugs. Villages and towns are increasingly unsafe as drug abuse fuels theft, gang activity, and violent crime. The prisons are filling with young men who should have been farmers, teachers, and engineers. Every addict is a life wasted, a family destroyed, and a nation weakened.

But this crisis can still be fought. The government must act with urgency by enforcing laws against illegal alcohol production, shutting down dangerous breweries, and tightening border controls to prevent drug trafficking. Law enforcement agencies must target suppliers and traffickers instead of punishing only the poor users caught in the streets. Schools, churches, mosques, and community leaders must step in with education and prevention, teaching young people about the dangers of drugs while offering healthy alternatives through sports, vocational training, and mentorship.

Addiction is not only a crime, but also an illness. South Sudan urgently needs rehabilitation centers, counseling programs, and mental health services where those trapped in drugs can find healing and a second chance. NGOs and international organizations must work together with local communities to build safe, affordable, and accessible recovery services. Families, too, must play their part by guiding their children, protecting them from bad influences, and supporting them with love and discipline before it is too late.

This is not just a call for government action but for collective responsibility. Civil society must continue raising its voice. Faith leaders must remind people of the spiritual cost of addiction and call them back to values of dignity, responsibility, and hope. Communities must rise together to protect the vulnerable. Every citizen must understand that the war on drugs is a war for South Sudan’s very survival.

The future of South Sudan depends on its people, especially its youth. If they are lost to drugs, the dream of a peaceful and prosperous nation will remain only a dream. But if we rise together, government, NGOs, families, communities, and individuals, we can rescue our people, restore our families, and protect the soul of our nation. The silent war of drugs must be fought with the same urgency and courage that once freed our land.

The choice is before us: to ignore this crisis and watch our nation collapse from within, or to act boldly now and save South Sudan from destruction.

Short biography:

Suzan Peter Mabuong is a weekly columnist with ‘The City Review’ on social impact. She is a Ph.D. candidate in Organizational Leadership at Grand Canyon University. Having lived in Canada and the United States for more than two decades before returning to South Sudan, Suzan brings a unique perspective that goes beyond the surface to explore the real stories shaping the nation. Suzan stands firm on the promises of God’s protection: “The Lord will keep you from all harm, He will watch over your life” (Psalm 121:7). Contact Suzan at: beyondtheheadlines.ssd@gmail.com