The government is planning to introduce drug testing kits through pharmacies, enabling parents to privately check whether their children are involved in drug use, as part of a broader national strategy to combat narcotics.
The proposal was discussed at the meeting of the “A Nation United” National Steering Council for the Eradication of the Drug Menace, chaired by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat.
During the meeting, the President emphasized the need for all relevant institutions to implement a coordinated national action plan to eradicate drug abuse. He also directed that progress reports on the responsibilities and programmes undertaken by each institution be presented at the council’s next meeting.
Special attention was given to preventing drug use among schoolchildren. Officials revealed that 225 awareness programmes targeting teachers and students have already been conducted, while universities have established student peer groups to carry out anti-drug awareness campaigns.
President Dissanayake also instructed the establishment of a committee led by the Ministry of Education to coordinate efforts to eliminate drugs from schools and called for a nationwide survey to assess the prevalence of drug use within the school system.
The meeting further reviewed progress on new legislation aimed at accelerating the destruction of seized narcotics, improving the management of court exhibits through automated systems, and decentralising laboratory facilities to reduce delays in investigations.
Officials stated that draft legislation on the rehabilitation of drug-dependent individuals has been finalised and will be gazetted soon.
Authorities also discussed strengthening maritime operations to curb drug smuggling, enhancing the capacity of the Police Narcotics Bureau and the Department of the Government Analyst, and introducing legal amendments to facilitate the confiscation of vehicles, including multi-day fishing vessels, used in drug trafficking.
