Over 230,000 school children within the Colombo District alone are addicted to drugs, claims Prisons Commissioner and Prisons Media Spokesman Jagath Weerasinghe.

He made this statement during his participation in a school awareness program focused on preventing drug abuse, held at Godapitiya National School in Akuressa, yesterday (27).

“In the Colombo District of the Western Province alone, 230,982 school children are drug addicts. I am sure that the Southern Province might be even worse. The South is placed number one in underworld activities.” 

“The majority of those in prison in Sri Lanka are young people and the majority of them have a low level of literacy,” the Prisons Commissioner said. 

He added: “There are 42 children under the age of 5 (in prisons) because of the crimes committed by their mothers. Let’s say she was sentenced to 10 years in prison after the case is heard. We let her and the child stay together for 5 years. We separate the child and the mother after that child turns 5 years old. Those are the most tragic moments I’ve ever witnessed in my life. The child is screaming asking for the mother. The mother is screaming asking for her child. They only had each other for 5 years. The law intervenes.” 

The Prisons Commissioner stressed that the incumbent government has an immense desire to create a drug-free country.

Meanwhile, while participating in a ceremony held in Kalutara yesterday (27), Kalutara District Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Jayantha Padmini Weerasuriya pointed out that measures have been taken to curb drug trafficking in the vicinity of schools.

“We have already deployed a large number of police officers in plainclothes to keep an eye on suspicious activities. When you come home from school, they will look at who you are associating with and where you are hanging out. If you have any information, please let us know if there are anything suspicious at bus stops, shops, etc. after school.”