Awareness Building Programme for Illegal Drug Prevention Group

Member's of the Drug Prevention Group had their first training programme on 24. 10. 2018. This was organized to raise the awareness of the group members themselves on Drug issue and to agree upon the next activities of the group. 16 members of the group attended this awareness Building Programme which held in the meeting room of the YMCA of Pamunugama.  

First session of the programme was led by Sub Inspector (S.I.)Marasinghe the officer in-charge of the Crime Division of Dungalpitiya Police Station. During his session S.I. Marasinghe gave an introduction to different types of Drugs, how people get addicted to illegal drugs and how to identify those who use them. Further he mentioned that the main reason behind the rising number of crimes are due to illegal drug addiction. He also mentioned that punishments and fines for drug dealers and users are very light in the Sri Lankan law which makes it difficult for the police and other legal entities to prevent this vastly spreading issue. According to S.I. Marasinghe, the best way to protect young people from illegal drugs is to keep them educated on the consequences of illegal drug usage and to rehabilitate those who have already affected. SI Marasinghe thanked the group and the YMCA for coming forward voluntarily to stand against this issue and assured his and his team's fullest support in future. 

Then group had a discussion on future plans and agreed the following;
1. to take actions to direct those who are already addicted to rehabilitation centers with the support of their families
2. conduct a camp for a group of young people during the month of December and to widely educate them as an action of prevention.
YMCA of Pamunugama thank Dungalpitiya Police for providing resorce persons for this programme and all the members who participated this programme and for agreeing to work together in the future.