News
Media draws flak over coverage of drug abuse
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Sensational reports by some sectors about the spread of drugs among schoolchildren is likely to be politically motivated, Chairman of the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol Dr. Samadhi Rajapaksa, told journalists in Colombo on Monday.
Rajapaksa said that only 9.1 percent of Sri Lankans now smoked. The number consuming betel had dropped to 13 percent and the intake of alcohol, too, had reduced in the last three years, Rajapaksa said.
“When you look at this trend it is obvious that there is an attempt to exaggerate the use of drugs among schoolchildren. It seems politically motivated to me. However, doing this kind of propaganda, targeting schoolchildren, is wrong,” he said.
Rajapaksa said in recent weeks some media institutions have been airing sensational reports on drug use, among children, to boost their ratings.
“They are creating an environment where children are placed in danger. They are trying to create an impression that hard drugs are prevalent in all schools,” he said.
Prof. Pujitha Wickramasinghe, a paediatrician, who also addressed the conference said that most of the journalists have no idea about the types of narcotics.
“If there is a discussion on heroin, they say everything that is detected as heroin. Now they are doing the same with crystal methamphetamine or ICE. This kind of reporting is like indirect advertising to popularize drugs,” he said.
Prof. Wickramasinghe said that when TV stations broadcast stories about drugs, they should refrain from airing images that are not relevant to the story. Media has a big responsibility,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board, Shakya Nanayakkara said that about 40,000 Sri Lankans die each year due to the abuse of tobacco and alcohol.
“When these people die, tobacco and alcohol companies need to attract 40,000 new customers. However, the abusers of tobacco and alcohol are declining. If you look at this logically, if those who use tobacco and alcohol are declining, it is also obvious that the number of people who use harder drugs should have also declined,” he said.
Nanayakkara said in recent years there is an increase in the use of crystal methamphetamine or ICE among drug users. However, there is no data to support claims that a large number of students are abusing crystal methamphetamine, he said.
“There is a lot of misinformation too. People tell us that kids are chewing ICE. You can’t ingest crystal metamphetamine by chewing them or in lozenges. A lot of alleged narcotics targeted for children are brought to our lab and when we analyze it most of these products have no narcotic properties while some have cannabis compounds. There is no doubt that we must be vigilant about school children, but the threat posed by tobacco and alcohol is more,” he said.
Latest News
Sun directly overhead Mannar, Periyamadu, Puliyankulam, Welioya and Pulmoddai about 12.11 noon today (30)
The sun is going to be directly over the latitudes of Sri Lanka from 28th of August to 07th of September due to its apparent southward relative motion.
The nearest places of Sri Lanka over which the sun is overhead today (30) are Mannar, Periyamadu, Puliyankulam, Welioya and
Pulmoddai about 12.11 noon.
(AFP) Sri Lanka’s maritime authorities were monitoring a fleet of 11 US-sanctioned Iranian oil tankers just off the island’s southern coast, the foreign minister said Wednesday.
The tankers were spotted close to the Galle harbour where an Iranian frigate, IRIS Dena, was sunk by a US submarine in March, killing 104 sailors. Sri Lanka’s navy rescued 32 Iranian sailors from that frigate.
Iranian vessels have been in limbo, unable to return to their home port because of a US blockade.
Sri Lanka’s Foreign minister Vijitha Herath said the tankers were in international waters where they had freedom of navigation.
“These ships are away from our territorial waters… we have no hold on them, nor have we facilitated them,” Herath told AFP.
The military deployed reconnaissance aircraft and patrol boats to monitor the vessels outside Sri Lanka’s 12-nautical-mile territorial waters, a military official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
“There is no indication of any ship-to-ship transfer of oil or illegal discharge of pollutants, so there is no basis for Sri Lankan authorities to take action against them,” the official said.
Many Iranian merchant vessels moved east towards the Strait of Malacca and Singapore due to US sanctions, while several remained near Sri Lankan waters, authorities said.
Sri Lankan officials said Washington had not formally notified Colombo about sanctioned Iranian-flagged vessels
Parliament is to debate next Wednesday the Government’s proposal to abolish the post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), with the Second Reading of the Chief of Defence Staff (Repeal) Bill scheduled for September 9.
The Bill seeks to repeal the Chief of Defence Staff Act No. 35 of 2009, which was introduced shortly after the end of the armed conflict.
According to Secretary General of Parliament Kushani Rohanadeera, Parliament will meet from September 8 to 11, with the business for the week approved by the Committee on Parliamentary Business chaired by Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne.
The debate on the Chief of Defence Staff (Repeal) Bill is scheduled to take place from 11.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, following questions to the Prime Minister and other parliamentary business.
The CDS post was established under the 2009 Act as part of the country’s higher defence command structure.
On Tuesday, September 8, the House will consider two Orders published in Extraordinary Gazettes under the Motor Traffic Act from 11.30 a.m. to 5 p.m., followed by an Opposition motion at the adjournment.
On Thursday, September 10, Parliament will debate a Resolution under the Women’s Empowerment Act.
The final sitting day of the week, Friday, September 11, has been allocated from 11.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. for several Private Members’ Motions.
The motions will cover issues including regulation of the petroleum, fuel and water industries, measures to increase the birth rate, protection of the Diyagama Forest, pension deductions affecting Pirivena teachers, food-crop cultivation in mountainous areas, development of the Kithul industry and the establishment of a Faculty of Medicine at South Eastern University.
Questions at the adjournment will be taken up at the end of each sitting day.
Voting closes in Iceland’s knife-edge EU referendum
Showers in the Sabaragamuwa, Western and North-western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts
Sun directly overhead Mannar, Periyamadu, Puliyankulam, Welioya and Pulmoddai about 12.11 noon today (30)
Lanka tracks 11 US-sanctioned Iranian tankers off coast
House to debate abolition of Chief of Defence Staff post
Mass graves tragic evidence of failed states – Rathnayake
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
News5 days agoMissing doctor’s body found in Mahiyanganaya
-
News5 days agoAustralia declines to release Finance Secy Suriyapperuma’s citizenship details
-
News5 days ago22A: BASL suggests CJ recuse himself from hearing petitions
-
News2 days agoEight politicians in drug kingpin probe
-
Editorial6 days agoGovts. drag feet as undergrads age
-
Features4 days agoInsights from Chieftains of Uva: Genealogy of two Kandyan Families – Part II
-
Features4 days agoExport diversification: Missing the wood for the trees – Part I
-
Business2 days agoSri Lanka opens up: A new season of direct connectivity