President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday said the government’s drive against the drug menace has gained support from every citizen of the country and unprecedented interest is shown towards the eradication of this menace from many quarters.
He said that drug smugglers have been using subtle manoeuvres to get people addicted to drugs and this has become a major challenge for all countries in the world.
President Sirisena said that there is an organised racket in the country to smuggle dangerous drugs and introduce drugs into universities and among schoolchildren by using various methods.
The President was speaking at the opening of the new building of National Anti-Doping Agency at the the Sugathadasa Stadium premises yesterday. The Sri Lanka Anti-Doping Agency functions with the primary aim of building a disciplined generation and a clean sports field while preventing the use of stimulants President Sirisena also highlighted importance of our sportsmen and women, who take the country’s good image to the world, being healthy and good citizens, who do not use drugs and stimulants.
The President also pointed out that the Government has already implemented a comprehensive programme to strengthen the laws relating to illegal drug trafficking as well as to prevent it and said that the establishment of authority on rehabilitation of drug addicts is currently taking place. He stressed the government has put in place a novel programme to address this issue by strengthening law, imposing punishment and launching prevention campaigns. The President further said that according to the latest statistics, the number of people who consumed dangerous drugs is nearly 200,000.
The “Sujatha Daruwo” programme will commence from March 15 as a special programme of the National Drug Prevention Project to protect the new generation and the schoolchildren from the drug menace, President Maithripala Sirisena said. The President also said that the “Sujatha Daruwo” programme will be introduced among schoolchildren with the contribution of the relevant Ministries.
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