The government is planning to introduce drug testing kits through pharmacies, enabling parents to privately check whether their children have become involved in drug use, as part of its national drive 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 stressed that all institutions involved in tackling the drug menace must work under a coordinated national plan and directed officials to submit progress reports on the responsibilities assigned to each institution and the programmes implemented.
The meeting also focused on preventing drug use among schoolchildren. Officials said 225 awareness programmes for teachers and students have already been conducted, while universities have established student peer groups to promote anti-drug awareness. The President also instructed the formation of a committee led by the Ministry of Education to coordinate efforts to eliminate drugs from schools and called for a nationwide survey on drug prevalence in the school system.
Discussions also covered new legislation to speed up the destruction of seized narcotics, improve the management of court exhibits, strengthen laboratory facilities and enhance the capabilities of the Police Narcotics Bureau and the Department of the Government Analyst.
Authorities further reviewed measures to curb drug smuggling by sea, including joint operations by the Navy, Police and intelligence services, as well as proposed legal amendments to strengthen action against drug traffickers.
