The Bureau of Rehabilitation has reported a significant decline in drug relapse rates among individuals who have completed rehabilitation programmes.
Director General of the Bureau, Brigadier M.S. Hameed, stated that the latest figures indicated a 13.74 percentage-point improvement compared to the previous year.
He made these remarks during a media briefing held in Colombo yesterday to raise awareness about the national operation, ‘A Nation United’ (Ratama Ekata).
"Fourteen per cent of the individuals who sought treatment at our rehabilitation centres were employed in the hotel and tourism industry. We have also received requests for assistance from the hotel sector. Accordingly, we have conducted awareness programmes targeting employees in the hotel industry in several districts, including the Gampaha District and the Southern Province."
He said that another awareness programme would be conducted on November 9 for employees of major tourist hotels in the Sigiriya and Dambulla areas, with Dambulla serving as the central location.
"Our studies indicate considerable progress compared to previous figures. In 2025, 31.4 per cent of individuals who completed rehabilitation remained free from the use of dangerous drugs. However, between January 1 and October 30, 2026, this figure increased to 45.18 per cent, representing an improvement of 13.74 percentage points compared to the previous year."
Furthermore, he reported that the percentage of individuals who returned to drug use after completing rehabilitation had declined by 5.34 percentage points. According to the report, the relapse rate had stood at 24.5 per cent in 2025, compared to 19.21 per cent during the corresponding period in 2026.
"I urge individuals affected by drug addiction across the country, as well as their family members, to contact us on 0769627761 for assistance. They should not wait until they are legally compelled to undergo rehabilitation but should instead take the initiative and seek help voluntarily. Rehabilitation is available to those who are willing to make a positive change in their lives," he added.
