DRUG MENACE.

                          DRUG MENACE.

         Drug menace has become a burning problem in Sri Lanka today. The number of drug addicts is increasing day by day. 

               As described by the  psychologists, drug addition is a state of indiscriminate use of  herbs and herbal preparations, which enslaves the user to them. This is not something new in human society. What is new and alarming is the indiscriminate use of drugs on an unimaginably large scale which may be attributed to breakdown of spiritual and religious value systems that kept man integrated as person and with his family and society. 

               Some of these drugs are cannibis, heroin, brown sugar, cocaine, LSD and marijuana. It appears that the most widely used drug is heroin. Drug addition is fast spreading in urban areas of our country. According to the police reports 50% of all crimes in Sri Lanka are drug related. Dope peddlers earn a large sum of mony through this business.

       The drug addicts think only of their temporary satisfaction. They never realise its harmful effects. When a person takes drug he abruptly becomes insane. He does not know who he is and what he is doing. He cannot identify even his own brothers and sisters. It is said that even school children are addicted to drugs. This is a very sad state of affairs. At present counselling centres have been set up in several government hospitals to give free advice and treatment for drug addicts. Special programmes must be implemented throughout the country in oder to make all keenly aware of the harmful effects of the drugs. 

                 The government alone cannot solve this problem. All the social services organisations and voluntary organisations must extend their co-operation towards the government to eradicate the drug menace. 

             Smoking  is also a baneful habit. It has been revealed that smoking is increasing in developing countries such as Sri Lanka, India and Malaysia. Despite the anti-tobacco campaign worldwide, global consumption of tobacco grows rapidly. Rate of smoking among the youth too has been increased. The world Health Organisation says  that tobacco use is a communicated disease, communicated through advertising and sponsorship of mainly sports. Tobacco advertising directly or by means of sports, helps persuade non-smokers to start smoking and helps dissuade smoker from quitting. Tobacco companies spend hundreds of millions of doller every year into sponsoring sports events worldwide. Many athletes, sports fans and spectators of sporing events are young people and it is those young whom the tobacco companies are targeting through sponsorship and advertising. This is a very sad state of affairs. This matter should  be looked into by the minister of sports.