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A new, holistic policy on drugs

10 Nov 2022

In a context where there is considerable tension amidst society about what transpired at the Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre, The Morning yesterday (9) reported on the importance of stopping the entry of drugs into the country. This was explained by a top Rehabilitation Bureau official, who said that it has been difficult to achieve the full benefits of the rehabilitation of drug users, because, as long as the entry of drugs into the country is not curtailed, drugs remain widely available in society to which rehabilitated persons are released. There is no debate that the drug menace is worsening, and that the entry of drugs into the country is one of the most crucial aspects of this issue. If we look at the period following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, anecdotal data shows that even though the people’s ability to purchase drugs had declined considerably, the types of drugs available in the country had increased. Most of these new types of drugs are smuggled in from abroad, mostly via the sea route, and in this context, blocking the entry of drugs is an urgent matter. While more attention certainly needs to be paid to how drugs enter the country and who facilitates it, we can appreciate the Navy’s contribution in this regard, which, according to reports, has resulted in the seizure of drugs with a gross street value of over Rs. 23.12 billion so far during this year alone. While the authorities should be facilitated and encouraged to reduce the entry of drugs into the country, the anti-drug activities taking place within the country, especially rehabilitation efforts, should also be strengthened, and not underestimated. The aforementioned official’s concerns are valid. However, that should not downplay the importance and effectiveness of rehabilitation in dealing with the drug menace.  One matter that has been repeatedly stressed in the discussions on curtailing the drug menace is the need to create an environment where drug users could seek rehabilitation with confidence and no discrimination. Another part of this discussion is looking at drug users more humanely, as people who need support to get rid of a harmful habit, rather than seeing them as people who have broken the law by using an illegal substance. When such an environment is created, more people tend to seek assistance voluntarily, and that results in a more successful rehabilitation process than a forced one. In fact, studies have shown that a significant share of drug users attempt to voluntarily seek support services, mainly rehabilitation-related services, at some point in the stages of their drug use. Even in the case of rehabilitated drug users starting to relapse, if Sri Lanka had an environment where they could obtain services with no discrimination, perhaps, more people would have sought support for themselves. Although Sri Lanka has several organisations that support such persons with no discrimination, the social stigma – based on the notions that drugs are a matter that should mandatorily be handled by the law enforcement authorities and that drug users are criminals that need to be penalised – is very real. Without building trust between drug users and the available support services, increasing service providers or decreasing the availability of drugs would not make a big difference. While stopping the entry of drugs into the country is important, it is impossible to completely free society of drugs. It is not necessarily an environment that is devoid of drugs, but an environment where drug users feel safe enough to seek help to deal with their habits that could end the drug menace. This is a responsibility shared by law enforcement authorities, State-run social services, drug rehabilitation services, the media, educational institutes, counselling providers, and most importantly, the general public.


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