A group of Buddhist leaders today urged the President to use his executive powers to put an end to the drug menace which they say is claiming more lives than the country’s war against terrorism.  

The ‘Mahinda Chintana’ policy introduced during the 2005 Presidential Election pledged to eradicate the drug menace in Sri Lanka within 3 years, through the implementation of the Mathata Thitha programme, Chairman of the All Island Youth Temperance Organization, Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thero said.

He stated that the policy had also promised to prohibit smoking and consumption of alcohol at public places.

Sobitha Thero, who is the Chief Incumbent of Kotte Nagaviharaya, stated that this policy had greatly influenced Mahinda Rajapaksa’s victory at that election in 2005.

The reason for this is because women are the ones who are most affected by the drug menace, as they are subject to abuse and mistreatment, he said, speaking at a press conference today (Oct 3) in view of World Temperance Day.
 
“Therefore this became an appealing topic for the country’s women,” he added.

He stated that families are in poverty and are destroyed due to illicit drugs which are also a leading cause for child abuse in the country.

Maduluwawe Sobitha Thero stressed that the President, with his executive powers, should be able to implement his policy and that is their only request.

He further charged that tobacco companies have been given a license to kill and a license to create cancer but nothing can be done to display pictorial warnings on cigarette packs.