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Youths in Sierra Leone and Liberia are caught in the web of Kush use and trafficking, serving as intermediaries for local and international criminal syndicates. The illegal trade offers a lifeline for many young people amid worsening economic conditions and a growing recourse to criminality. The Economic Community of West African States is working with member states to initiate alternatives to incarceration as a long term solution to the surging illicit drug problem. Kenya’s parliament has also proposed harm-focused legislation, indicating a shift away from punitive approaches. This event discusses recent research and policy developments, including the role of the Eastern and Southern Africa Commission on Drugs, and how political leadership impacts regional drug policy. This event is hosted by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC) and INTERPOL. Moderator: Rumbi Matamba, Analyst, GI-TOC Panelists: Dr Christian Ani, ENACT Senior Researcher, ISS Dr Halkano Wario, ENACT East Africa Regional Organised Crime Observatory Coordinator, ISS Elsadig Mohamed Ahmed, Senior Expert, GI-TOC and Secretariat Head, Eastern and Southern Africa Commission on Drugs ENACT is funded by the European Union. ENACT is implemented by the Institute for Security Studies in partnership with INTERPOL and the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime. The ISS is also grateful for support from the members of the ISS Partnership Forum: the Hanns Seidel Foundation, the European Union, the Open Society Foundations and the governments of Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.