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Strategic approach needed to solve drug menace - IGP

An average of Rs. 500 is spent on drugs daily in Sri Lanka and this accounts to nearly Rs. 50 million per day spent on drugs alone within the country said Pujith Jayasundera, Director, Police Narcotics Bureau.

This was revealed at the first ever-training workshops held in Sri Lanka for law enforcement and NGO personnel in enhancing Life Skills in drug abuse prevention. This was organised by the Drug Advisory Programme (DAP) of the Colombo Plan with funding from the Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, U.S. Department of State. The opening ceremony was held this week on Monday. The Inspector General of Police T. E. Anandarajah was the guest of honour.

"Today the drug problem is complicated. Therefore we need professionals to take the leading role. There should be a strategic approach if we are to solve the drug menace" said IGP Anandarajah.

Jason Cuite, representing the US Ambassador for Sri Lanka, appreciated the efforts taken by the DAP and the PNB. He further said that this type of initiatives is needed to drive the society to get rid of the drug menace.

Tay Bian How, Director Drug Advisory Programme of the Colombo Plan said that Drug Abuse was one of today's most challenging health and social problems. He further pointed out that youth were the most vulnerable and he said "It is wiser to build children today than have to repair the adults at a later date".

Thirty one law enforcement officials and NGO personnel are currently participating in the workshop. The participants of the workshop are from Lions International, Sri Lanka Customs, the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB), Federation of NGO's against Drug Abuse (FONGODA) and Colombo Plan International Society (CPIS). The Life Skills Module of the DAP will be imparted to the participants to enable them to be proficient in conducting preventive drug education programmes in the country.The workshop is to end today.

The participants will be asked to design and implement programmes based on the training. The success of this workshop would set a new trend in the scope of preventive drug education programmes in Sri Lanka.

This would give Sri Lanka the start to implement prevention programmes reinforced by sound life skills practices which are already in the Asia Pacific Region.

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