More than 12,000 children are currently being abandoned in orphanage homes because their parents are drug addicts, and most of them received hospital treatment without their parents due to abuse incidents, Lady Ridgeway Hospital (LRH) consultant paediatrician Dr. Deepal Perera said.

He told Daily Mirror that most of the children come to hospitals with their grandmother or grandfather because their parents are drug addicts.

He also said the trend of all drug related addiction among schoolchildren is more dangerous than any existing terrorism, and people should start launching all Aragalaya campaigns against this situation.

“The dealers have a plan to addict children in the adolescent age groups,” he said.

As the whole country stood against the LTTE’s terrorism, we all have to stand against this drug menace spreading among the schoolchildren, regardless of party or race.

ICE (crystal methamphetamine) is spreading rapidly among schoolchildren as well as among schoolgirls. There is a rapid increase in the number of drug addictions among the student community. Addicting schoolchildren to drugs was not heard in the past, even from schools in rural areas, but it has become a trending topic in the current situation.

“Making schoolgirls drink beer has increased these days through big matches. They eventually became addicted to drugs in some way. Some of them were directed towards the use of ice. “A single use of any drug causes the children to become permanently addicted,” Dr. Perera explained.

“All Aragala campaigns and protests should be launched from rural villages against the drug dealers, and maximum punishment should be given to them. Such people should be executed for possessing any amount of drugs, including ice.

If this menace spreads, there won’t be a next generation to take on the responsibilities of the country.

As a result, for two to three weeks, testing should begin in schools and even outside of schools. All possible ways of drugs entering schools should be blocked and dealers should not be able reach them. There is a risk of school teachers becoming addicted. All hospitals and government institutions should be checked for possible drugs.

Persons involved in the distribution of drugs, such as alcohol and cigarettes, should face a penal trial and maximum punishment. There is a trend of targeting schoolchildren, even girls, for drugs during the big matches.

The maximum punishment should be given to people who sell drugs and also to those who buy them,” the doctor said. 

Source – Daily MIrror