Sri Lanka President calls for stronger parent role against drugs

Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has instructed officials to establish a mechanism to actively involve parents in protecting children from the drug menace.

The President said strong relationships between parents and children are more important than relying on the law alone to protect young people from drugs. He stressed the need to educate parents about the seriousness of the drug threat and ways to monitor changes in their children’s behaviour.

He made these remarks at a meeting of the “A Nation United” National Steering Committee held today (September 30) at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo.

President Dissanayake said parents should also have access to trusted people who can guide them when their children are at risk of drug use. Noting that parents often seek help from teachers or religious leaders, he instructed officials to develop a systematic programme to provide such guidance. He said teachers involved in the programme should receive special training.

The President also called for stronger action to dismantle drug distribution networks across the country.

Officials informed the meeting that the Government Analyst’s Department had increased its capacity and completed 8,000 drug-related forensic reports during September. Improved processing of these reports has also helped more people remanded over drug-related offences to obtain bail, contributing to efforts to reduce prison overcrowding.

The President instructed officials to refer the new drug control Bill presented to Parliament to the relevant committee during the first week of October, obtain approval and take steps to have it passed by Parliament by the third week of October.

Plans to develop a centralised digital system linking the Police, Government Analyst’s Department, Department of Prisons and the judicial system were also discussed. The President instructed officials to address practical issues involved in introducing the system.

He also reviewed steps to allow expert and Government Analyst’s reports to be submitted directly to courts by email under Act No. 07 of 2025, as well as measures to fill vacancies in the Legal Draftsman’s Department.

The meeting also reviewed anti-drug programmes in international schools, drug-related challenges in the Northern and Eastern regions, rehabilitation programmes and plans to increase the capacity of rehabilitation centres.

President Dissanayake also called for social media awareness programmes targeting young people to highlight the harmful consequences of drug use.

He stressed the importance of maintaining the 1818 hotline for information on drug trafficking, distribution and related illegal activities. He also called for greater publicity on action taken in response to information received through the hotline to strengthen public confidence in the service.

Senior religious leaders, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), Public Security Secretary Ravi Seneviratne, other senior government officials, the Inspector General of Police, commanders of the Armed Forces and members of the “A Nation United” National Steering Committee attended the meeting.