By The Pulseline News Desk
A decline in the availability of illicit drugs appears to be pushing more drug users towards rehabilitation, with authorities reporting increased demand for treatment services under the Government’s ongoing national drug eradication programme.
National Dangerous Drugs Control Board (NDDCB) Director of Treatment and Rehabilitation U.G. Shantha Gamage has said authorities were observing signs of a shortage of illicit drugs in society, alongside a noticeable increase in drug users seeking treatment and rehabilitation.
Speaking at a briefing on the progress of the Government’s “Ratama Ekata” drug eradication programme, Gamage has said the development had placed additional pressure on the country’s existing rehabilitation system.
The increase in voluntary treatment-seekers comes at a time when authorities are attempting to expand the country’s capacity to provide rehabilitation services.
In April, the Cabinet had approved the establishment of six short-term treatment and rehabilitation centres after authorities identified a shortage of residential facilities to meet growing demand for voluntary treatment.
The Government has also continued efforts to strengthen rehabilitation facilities as part of its wider anti-drug campaign.
The latest figures suggest that the impact of intensified drug-control measures is being felt not only through arrests and seizures, but also through increased demand for treatment.
For authorities, this presents both a challenge and an opportunity. Reducing the supply of illicit drugs without providing sufficient treatment facilities could leave vulnerable users without adequate support. Expanding rehabilitation capacity, meanwhile, could help turn increased demand for treatment into a longer-term public health and social outcome.
The Government’s anti-drug strategy is therefore increasingly being tested on two fronts — whether it can disrupt the supply of illicit drugs and whether it has enough capacity to help those seeking to break their dependence.
With demand for rehabilitation rising, the success of the “Ratama Ekata” programme may ultimately depend not only on how many drugs are taken off the streets, but also on how many users can be helped to stay off them.
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