Emphasising that social wellbeing and stability are as important as physical development, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has called on all citizens to fulfil their responsibility in eradicating the drug menace from Sri Lanka, warning that it has escalated into a national disaster threatening future generations.
The President made these remarks while participating in the third meeting of the “A Nation United” National Steering Council, established to eliminate drugs from the country. The meeting was held this morning (06) at the Presidential Secretariat with the participation of the Most Venerable members of the Maha Sangha of the three chapters, along with other religious leaders, according to a statement from the President’s Media Division (PMD).
With the objective of uprooting the widespread drug problem through a multi-pronged strategy, the national operation “Quit – A Nation United” is being implemented under the theme “A Drug-Free Nation – A Happier Tomorrow.” The programme focuses on disrupting drug supply islandwide, expanding raids, rehabilitating drug users, strengthening prevention programmes and empowering communities to resist drug abuse.
The PMD noted that this initiative is being carried out as a united national effort involving the Government, security forces, civil organisations and the general public, with the aim of creating strong social pressure against drug traffickers and distributors, while supporting the rehabilitation of those addicted to narcotics.
During the meeting, extensive discussions were held on the progress of ongoing raids, arrests and rehabilitation processes. The President expressed his appreciation to all institutions, officers and members of the public engaged in this effort.
It was revealed that between January 01, 2025 and January 05, 2026, the following quantities of drugs had been seized:
- Heroin: 1,821.174 kg
- Crystal meth (“Ice”): 3,865.710 kg
- Cannabis: 17,189.377 kg
- Cocaine: 38.958 kg
- Narcotic tablets and capsules: 4,049,569
In line with decisions taken at previous meetings, attention was drawn to the progress of drafting new laws to ensure the speedy destruction of seized drug stocks. The President instructed relevant authorities to expedite this process, while progress relating to the destruction of drugs currently in custody was also reviewed.
The meeting also discussed the need to identify the social backgrounds of individuals addicted to drugs and to conduct a survey to gather relevant data. Further deliberations focused on establishing a strong mechanism involving educational institutions, government bodies, voluntary organisations and cultural organisations to expand the implementation of the national programme.
In addition, participants discussed conducting public awareness campaigns with the involvement of religious leaders, making use of the close ties between villages and places of worship.
The meeting was attended by the Maha Sangha, including the Most Venerable Niyangoda Vijithasiri Thera (Anunayake of the Malwathu Chapter), the Most Venerable Narampanawa Ananda Thera (Anunayake of the Asgiriya Chapter), the Most Venerable Waleboda Gunasiri Thera (Anunayake of the Ramanna Maha Nikaya) and the Most Venerable Kuppiyawatte Bodhananda Thera, along with religious dignitaries representing other faiths.
Also present were Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Ananda Wijepala, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Air Vice Marshal (Retd) Sampath Thuyacontha, and several other officials.
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