The Education Ministry rejected a claim that 70% to 80% of male university dropouts are addicted to drugs, saying no such data has been reported to date. At the same time, the Ministry has begun efforts to trace the supply chain of narcotics entering university premises, with officials saying the measures have already contributed to a decline in both the availability and consumption of drugs.
Speaking to The Daily Morning, Deputy Education Minister Dr Madhura Seneviratne said the figures cited by a university professor were unsubstantiated.
“We do not agree with the percentage of 70 to 80 that is being described. Addiction is a medical condition, and we have not received any data indicating that such a number of undergraduates are drug addicts,” he said.
However, Seneviratne acknowledged that the Ministry had received information from several suburban universities regarding student drug use and had already taken steps to address the issue.
“We have identified that the supply chain of drugs to universities is one of the root causes. So far, we have traced a considerable part of it, and there is already a declining trend in usage and supply,” he said.
As part of the response, the Ministry has appointed counsellors within the university system to identify early warning signs of addiction before symptoms become apparent.
“They are trained for this and have a comprehensive understanding of their roles. We have decided to appoint more counsellors to reach students on a broader scale,” Seneviratne said.
He also noted that a larger national programme was in place to address drug addiction, including within universities.
Asked whether male students showed a higher tendency towards addiction, following information received by The Daily Morning regarding distributors allegedly operating in male hostels of State universities, the Deputy Minister said such gender-based observations could not yet be made. He added that susceptibility depended on the type of drug used.
The controversy arose after Professor Amila Isuru, Head of the Department of Psychiatry at Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, made the remarks during a media discussion held under the ‘A Nation United’ national anti-drug programme.
The professor had said that a considerable number of university students use or are addicted to drugs, and that approximately 70% to 80% of male students who drop out were found to be addicted to some form of narcotic substance.
He also explained that many students continued using drugs not for pleasure, but to manage withdrawal symptoms.
Meanwhile, a student from the University of Kelaniya, speaking to The Daily Morning on condition of anonymity, identified easy and unrestricted access to drugs within university premises as a key factor.
“Even though there is not much of a need, students tend to try it, and some continue to use them due to the easy approach,” the student said, adding that designated students in male hostels operate distribution networks.