American Samoa's Homeland Security director, Samana Semo Ve'ave'a, has called for the community to join together to eliminate a drug problem in the territory.
Speaking to newly sworn in police and law enforcement officers, Samana described the problems of illegal drugs in the territory as an illness and those who use as victims.
He says the issue of illegal drugs is dear to his heart, because his brother died from drug use.
Samana describes those who manufacture and sell illegal drugs as a type of boil, developing in the armpit and if not cured properly, spreading to the other side.
He says the only way to rid of the boils is by having a doctor remove it permanently.
"The people that we need to get are those who sell the drugs, those who are making the drugs. Those are the folks that we need to concentrate on."
Two months ago, a Task Force for Domestic Security was created to formulate strategies to curb and eliminate illicit drugs and narcotics in the community.