A programme to detect those driving after consuming various drugs will be launched next year, State Minister of Transportation Lasantha Alagiyawanna said.
Speaking during an event in Colombo yesterday, the State Minister said that the special programme will be carried out from the beginning of January 2023.
He further said that nearly 5000 drug screening devices have been distributed to the Police for this purpose.
“We intend to commence the detection of those driving after consuming various drugs such as cocaine and heroin in the Western Province from January next year,” he said.
Stating that Sri Lanka is facing severe issues due to the drug menace, Lasantha Alagiyawanna said that this has a serious impact on drivers as well.
“Earlier, medical examinations were required to detect those driving after consuming narcotics. However, with this new equipment we can conduct a test on the spot and detect such drivers,” he said.
State Minister Alagiyawanna said nearly 400 road accidents reported per year are a result of drug use, adding that this must be addressed soon to reduce the impact. (NewsWire)