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NDDCB opens Monitoring, Information Centre to tackle SL’s drug menace
View(s):A Monitoring and Information Center for Industry Interference of Tobacco, Alcohol and Illicit Drugs was established this Wednesday (9) by the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board (NDDCB) at its premises on its 30th anniversary.
Gathering information on drug smuggling and consumption, analysing, reviewing and sharing the data collected with the relevant authorities are expected to be accomplished through the newly opened centre.
“We introduced a hotline number 1984 in 2010, to receive information on drug smuggling and directed it to the relevant authorities for necessary action. In addition to 1984, a new hotline number is being initiated from today onwards” said NDDCB Chairperson, Mrs Lesha De Silva Chandrasena addressing a press conference on Wednesday.
Accordingly, people are requested to inform either on 011 2 077 778 or National Dangerous Drugs Control Board, Ministry of National Defence and Urban Development, 383, Kotte Road, Rajagiriya or email to mail@nddcb.gov.lk.
“We don’t require the identity of the person who give us the information, but definitely the accuracy of those details. And through this center we have implemented a mechanism to monitor the investigations on the information we have passed to the relevant authorities.” she added.
According to the Chairperson, most complaints received on 1984 reveal information on the locations of drug trafficking, where children are targeted near schools, playgrounds and tuition classes.
“Therefore, our focus is on teenagers who become victims of not only drugs, but also the overdose or misuse of medicinal drugs” she said, adding that, there are 36-40 children under 20 years in the rehabilitation centres run by the Board.
Mrs Chandrasena added that there is an increase in children who seek rehabilitation, compared with the past, when children were seldom sent to rehabilitation centers. Awareness among parents and school authorities has resulted in this positive trend.
Assistant director of Research, Mrs Badrani Senanayake added that, currently, there are nearly 200,000 cannabis addicts and 45,000 heroin addicts in the country.
“We can clearly conclude that, when we consider the number of raids being carried out and the hike in arrests made, we have been able to control heroin consumption by now,” she added.