Final ceremony of National Drug Prevention Week commences

The main ceremony of the National Drug Prevention Week commenced under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena a short while ago.

The island-wide National Drug Prevention Week under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena coinciding with the “International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking” saw the completion of its final day successfully yesterday (30). 

The main ceremony of the week-long campaign is held at Sugathadasa Stadium today (01) with the participation of President Sirisena as the Chief Guest, stated President’s Media Division.

In parallel to the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking observances on 26 July, President Sirisena pioneered this mega week-long drug prevention campaign island wide targeting school children, students in universities and vocational training centers, and the general public as an expression of his determination to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of a society free of drug abuse.

The campaign saw its curtain rise with a special education program aimed at school children on 24th June and a community awareness program followed on the second day (25) on the same theme. 

The third day (26) of the campaign aimed at educating employees in state institutions while the fourth day (27) totally focused to enlighten members serving in the armed services. Several programs were also conducted in various parts of the island with a special focus on the rehabilitation of drug addicts on 28th June and on the following day (29), the campaigners focused their total attention on educating university students on this social menace. 

In addition, there were a number of programs to educate field officers island-wide yesterday marking the final day of the week-long drug prevention campaign.

The mega drug prevention campaign with a series of events included several public marches, education programs, conferences, lectures, and poster and banner campaigns covering the whole island with a notable high public participation.

In the meantime, Presidential Task Force for Drug Prevention, National Dangerous Drug Control Board and the Sri Lanka Police Department joined hands to compile a national report on drug abuse and the spread of drug abuse in order to access the level of the danger and their committee report will be handed over to President at the closing ceremony tomorrow.

National Drug Prevention program is being carried out under the direct supervision of President Maithripala Sirisena and it has achieved triumphant victories including a number of arrests connected to drug offenses and Treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts from the year 2015 to 2019.

In order to achieve benevolent goals of the campaign, the President himself has chaired 14 district conferences and in support of the movement, 15000 more drug prevention committees in the district, provincial and village levels are active today to eradicate the social threat completely from the country. In this endeavor, a 72000 contingent of assistant drug prevention technicians is also inline island-wide.

In addition, 6000 more drug prevention committees have been established under the “Thirasara” school project and “Kalyana Mitra Societies” or Friends’ Clubs in 15000 Sunday Dhamma Schools are devoted to the cause. For the first time in the history of Sri Lanka, President has called tri forces for duty in drug prevention and all of those in the war against drugs has received commendations in recognition of their services from the President.

Law cases connected to a total of 1695 kg of drugs have been completed proceedings and accordingly, those drug stocks have been destroyed in public in order to garner the public support for the war against drugs. Law enforcement authorities have seized 24,818 kg, 393 grams and 767 milligrams from the year 2015 to 2019.