President Anura Kumara Dissanayake emphasised that all relevant institutions must operate in accordance with a national plan in order to eradicate the drug menace.
The President made these remarks while attending the meeting of the “A Nation United” National Steering Council for the eradication of the drug menace, held this morning (02) at the Presidential Secretariat with the participation of the Maha Sangha of the three Nikayas and other religious leaders.
The President instructed that a report be submitted at the next meeting detailing the responsibilities assigned to each institution under the national plan to eliminate the drug menace, the progress achieved thus far and the programmes implemented by each institution to combat the problem.
It was revealed that approximately 70 per cent of the prison population consists of individuals addicted to narcotic substances. Attention was therefore directed towards measures that could be taken in relation to them in order to address the serious issue of prison overcrowding.
The President also inquired into the measures being taken to prevent schoolchildren from becoming involved in drug use. It was noted that 225 programmes, including awareness initiatives for teachers and students, have already been implemented at school level. Discussions have also been held with vice-chancellors and heads of departments at universities and higher educational institutions, leading to the establishment of peer groups among students to carry out awareness programmes.
Attention was further drawn to conducting a nationwide survey on the prevalence of drugs within the school system. The President emphasised the need to establish a committee led by the Ministry of Education, comprising representatives of all relevant institutions, to operate under a common plan aimed at eliminating the drug menace from schools.
It was also decided to convene a special discussion with the owners of private and international schools to involve them in the national drug prevention programme.
Progress in drafting new legislation to ensure the prompt destruction of seized narcotics was reviewed. Attention was also given to introducing an automated system for managing court exhibits and to decentralising laboratory facilities with the support of legal and scientific experts in order to minimise delays in investigations.