The National Dangerous Drugs Control Board (NDDCB) has identified school children in Sri Lanka’s Western Province, especially in Colombo’s low-income areas, as the most affected by drug abuse in the country.
Districts such as Grandpass, Thotalanga, Kompanyaveediya, Angulana, Keselwatta, Panadura, Dehiwala, Mount Lavinia, and Hikkaduwa have been identified as hotspots where children face heightened risks.
Other high-risk areas include parts of Kandy, as well as Gampaha, Kurunegala, Anuradhapura, Galle, Ratnapura, and Kalutara.
The NDDCB highlighted peer pressure as a primary driver behind drug use among school children. Contributing factors include inadequate enforcement of school drug policies, insufficient involvement of school principals and education officials, troubled family backgrounds, neglect, the local prevalence of drugs, poverty, and malnutrition.
To address the crisis, the NDDCB is rolling out a comprehensive programme based on international best practices, encompassing screening, assessment, prevention, counselling, treatment, rehabilitation, and aftercare.
From January to August 2025, police detained 206 children on drug-related charges, with 39 placed on probation.
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