போதைப்பொருள் பாவனையானது ஒரு சமூகச் சிக்கல் என்ற நிலையில் இருந்து கடுமையான தேசிய நெருக்கடியாக உருவெடுத்துள்ளது என திருகோணமலை மாவட்ட நாடாளுமன்ற உறுப்பினர் கதிர்வேலு சண்முகம் குகதாசன் தெரிவித்துள்ளார். நேற்றைய தினம்(26.06.2026) நாடாளுமன்றில் உரையாற்றுகையிலேயே அவர் இவ்வாறு குறிப்பிட…
Trincomalee District Member of Parliament Kathirvelu Shanmugam Kukathasan has stated that drug abuse has evolved from a social problem to a serious national crisis.
He stated this while addressing Parliament yesterday (26.06.2026). Drug Abuse
He further said,
I would like to express my views in the debate on confronting the drug menace presented in Parliament today.
Drug abuse has evolved from a social problem to a serious national crisis. This scourge, which targets the youth of this country across ethnic, linguistic, religious, class and geographical boundaries, has shaken the very foundation of the country's social, economic and moral values.
This problem is not just a law and order problem but is also a multifaceted social problem.
Unlike in the past, the advent of synthetic drugs and the online drug trade have emerged as new challenges in today’s context. While discussing this issue among low-income earners, it is important to go beyond politics and assess Sri Lanka’s national drug control strategy accurately and objectively.
It is essential that this Council objectively examine the results of this effort, despite the continued efforts of the Sri Lankan police and navy.
While the government has made a significant number of arrests by mid-2026, most of those arrested are low-income street users and small-scale traders.
They are often languishing in prisons because they cannot afford to pay the fines for the very small quantities of drugs they possess for their own use.
This approach, which prioritizes security alone, has led to severe overcrowding in Sri Lanka’s prisons. Money earned from the drug trade
Meanwhile, international drug lords and their domestic accomplices continue to operate from abroad using encrypted digital communications and digital money transfer systems.
The government is focusing more on street-level raids. Meanwhile, the main networks of cross-border drug supply remain unaffected.
The impact of this drug crisis is being felt most acutely in the North and East.
Money earned from the drug trade is alleged to have infiltrated the Sri Lankan state apparatus.
This has allowed traffickers to continue to run their networks from within prison walls. Drug Control The government must strengthen and clean up the state agencies responsible for drug control.
If the government does not address internal corruption, all the external crackdowns will be in vain.
While the Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs Amendment Act No. 41 of 2022 took a major step by acknowledging the threat of methamphetamine (Ice), its harsh bail provisions have created major bottlenecks in Sri Lanka’s judiciary.
Delays in government investigation reports or procedural errors have led to suspects being held in detention for months or years without trial. Meanwhile, the government’s rehabilitation approach continues to rely on a military-led structural model. Military discipline
However, medical experts and human rights activists have pointed out that drug addiction should be considered a medical and psychological disorder, and that military discipline is not a proper solution.
To this end, I make the following recommendations. First, the possession of small amounts of drugs for personal use should be decriminalized.
Such individuals should be referred to voluntary, community-based treatment programs run by health professionals.
Second, Sri Lanka’s rehabilitation system should be driven by civic and medical leadership, and all treatment modalities should be evidence-based and culturally based and fully available in both official languages. Drug Analysis Report Third, law enforcement resources should be redirected to target the assets of drug trafficking ringleaders and the means used for trafficking.
Fourth, Sri Lanka’s border security infrastructure should be improved by installing modern, high-speed scanners at all major ports and airports.
The State Chemical Analyst’s Department and the National Narcotics Laboratory should be provided with modern diagnostic equipment to expedite the issuance of drug analysis reports that delay court decisions.
Fifth, above all, we must raise public awareness about drug abuse and its consequences.
A compassionate, intelligent and coordinated response to the drug menace is essential.
This crisis cannot be overcome by arresting people alone. Humanitarian-based support
Legal reforms must be implemented to target the real sources of drug supply. At the same time, genuine, humanitarian-based support must be provided to Sri Lankan citizens affected by drug abuse to help them recover and reintegrate into society.
The drug menace, which has become a national crisis from a social problem, cannot be addressed by government forces, government officials or government agencies alone.
He said that the drug menace can only be addressed if everyone, including non-governmental organizations, teachers, parents, youth organizations, social welfare organizations, religious institutions, religious leaders and politicians, work together and act decisively.