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Saturday, 11 April 2015 01:28 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Thera made this request at a press conference held yesterday at the Media Ministry after pointing out that the Government is planning to build up a social atmosphere to urge each and every drug user to get themselves free from drugs and to come forward for treatment voluntarily as the Government wishes to reduce the drug demand in the community.
“We have built a monitoring system to monitor the effectiveness and productivity of the activities of the law enforcement agencies and to urge them to enhance investigations and detections to reduce the drug supply. However, we believe that we will be able to reduce the drug circulation in the country at a considerable rate by the year 2015 and ultimately be able to achieve the goal of a drug-free Sri Lanka as soon as possible”, Rathana Thera said.
The Thera also revealed that Sri Lanka’s daily consumption of drugs amounts to Rs. 450 million and that from this it is quite evident that the drug addiction has become a huge problem for the country and a burden to the country’s economy.
“We are trying to formulate a National Policy on the elimination of drugs. After President Maithripala Sirisena came to power, we are holding monthly meetings with the President and there is a Drug Elimination Presidential Task Force. Activating this National Policy on drug elimination is the challenge we must face. There are people in this drug network who have political connections. There are also police officers who are also involved, which has made this drug business a vast and complex network. Arresting people is also difficult, due to the enormity of the task. However, our intelligence agencies and the CID are having some sort of success, but their progress had been somewhat undermined due to political interference. However, to counter attack this problem, it is required to have a national plan with agencies such as the CID and the STF,” Rathana Thera said.
At the press conference it was also revealed that the Government has unanimously passed regulations to include pictorial warnings about the negative health effects of smoking on all cigarette products.
“The pictures will cover 80% of the packets and feature images designed to shock smokers – such as cancer patients, children in intensive care and dead bodies. This will be implemented from June. Sri Lanka is unable to shoulder the high cost of treating patients with smoking-related illnesses. The tax income received from tobacco products are less than what the Government spend on these patients,” he said.
