Govt. will do everything possible to free younger generation from drug menace: President

President Maithripala Sirisena says the National Program on Drug Prevention will be carried out with a new outlook next year.

“The attention of everybody should be paid to free the young generation from the drug menace. The government will fulfill any duty in this regard,” he said.

The President was speaking at the 7th phase of the National Program on Drug Prevention, held early this week at the Playground of the Ananda National School in Puttalam.

The 7th phase of the National Drug Prevention Program , which was held in the Puttalam District, included a large number of programs for drug prevention, organised by the Presidential Task Force on Drug Prevention.

President Sirisena further stated that the National Drug Prevention Programs will be held in every district by the end of this year.

A program will be implemented in the future to present awards to the officers who are involved in illegal drug raids to honour them as heroes, the President said.

Steps will be taken in the future to further strengthen the initiatives taken to raise awareness to prevent drug use among the public.

President Sirisena further said that politicians should be exemplary to the society in this regard and the state officials and the public also must proactively contribute to this task, he added.

The President presented awards to the officers in the Sri Lanka Police, Excise Department, Civil Security Department , and Puttalam Health Education Office felicitating their contribution towards the prevention of the drug menace in the Puttalam district. He also presented awards to the representatives of the civil society as well as to the regional journalists.

The President also presented awards to the winners of the short story and art competitions on the prevention of the drug menace. A scroll containing a thousand signatures urging prevention of drug use was presented to the President during the event.

Ministers and MPs of the North Western Province including Minister Daya Gamage, State Ministers, Priyankara Jayaratne, Palitha Range Bandara, Governor of the North Western Province, Amara Piyaseeli Ratnayake, Chief Minister of the Western Province , Dharmasiri Dassanayake, Director of Presidential Task force on drug Prevention, Dr Samantha Kithalawaarachchi, Puttalam District Secretary, Commissioner General of the Excise Department , state officials, Inspector General of Police, senior members of the security Forces and many others participated in this event.