September 29, Colombo (LNW): A concerning rise in drug use among school-aged children has been reported in various parts of the country, with the Western Province emerging as the most severely affected, according to data from national authorities monitoring substance misuse.
The situation is said to be particularly acute in the Colombo District, where children from underprivileged communities are identified as being especially vulnerable to falling into drug habits.
Neighbourhoods such as Grandpass, Thotalanga, Slave Island, Keselwatte, Angulana, Panadura, Dehiwala, Mount Lavinia, and even Hikkaduwa are among the areas named as high-risk zones. These are communities often burdened with socio-economic difficulties, making them more susceptible to the social and environmental pressures that facilitate drug exposure.
The issue, however, is not confined to Colombo alone. Certain parts of the Kandy District have also been flagged as areas where schoolchildren are at notable risk. Other districts including Gampaha, Kalutara, Galle, Kurunegala, Anuradhapura, and Ratnapura have also drawn concern, signalling that this is a nationwide challenge with both urban and rural implications.
Officials have attributed the increase in school-age drug use to a mixture of factors. Peer pressure remains a dominant influence, but a broader lack of institutional support within schools has also come under scrutiny. It has been revealed that some school administrations, along with zonal education offices, are not enforcing existing drug prevention policies with the seriousness required.
This lack of oversight and accountability appears to have opened the door for drug use to gain a stronger foothold within school environments.
Equally troubling are the external circumstances many of these children face. Unstable family situations, neglect, exposure to substance use within the home or community, financial hardship, and poor nutrition have all been identified as contributing factors. These conditions often leave children emotionally vulnerable and without adequate guidance or protection.
In response to the deepening crisis, the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board (NDDCB) has announced a comprehensive and multi-pronged strategy aimed at prevention, rehabilitation, and long-term recovery.
Their approach is being implemented through six key intervention streams: schools, families, youth communities, workplaces, public environments, and media outreach. Each programme is designed to reflect international standards but adapted to local realities.
As part of their proactive strategy, the NDDCB is facilitating school-based screening and assessment tests. Children identified as drug users are not merely reprimanded but are channelled into a structured recovery process involving counselling, treatment, rehabilitation, and educational reintegration.
Specialised school counsellors have been trained to follow a three-tiered response model: initial counselling for low-risk individuals, referral of moderate to high-risk cases to NDDCB professionals, and finally, in cases of addiction, admission to a Youth Treatment Centre for full recovery and eventual return to either formal education or vocational training.
Meanwhile, law enforcement efforts are also ongoing. Between the start of the year and the end of August, 206 minors were taken into custody for drug-related offences. Of these, 39 have since been placed under probationary care.
The police have also apprehended three individuals accused of introducing drugs to children. In tandem with these actions, the Sri Lanka Police has rolled out over 15,000 awareness and prevention programmes in schools and related institutions since the beginning of the year.
