Sri Lanka is one of the many civilized nations throughout the world that adhere to the Latin maxim “ignorantia legis neminem excusat,” which means “ignorance of the law excuses no one.” Any person who is not aware of the law in a country is nonetheless liable for breaking it, even if they are unaware of what the law says.
The fundamental tenet of the principle is that a person, irrespective of differences, accused of a legal wrongdoing—whether criminal or civil—cannot legitimately claim innocence by claiming that they were not aware of the relevant legal requirements. They cannot escape culpability, even if they are sincerely and honestly unaware of the relevant laws.
The latest trend in drug abuse among innocent and unassuming schoolchildren, both male and female, creates a horrifying legal complexity where such children are forced to go through a lengthy and atrocious experience. Hence, legal awareness has become a priority concern for authorities.
The rising proportion of drug abuse among school children and adolescents has become the hottest topic in the country during the past few months. It is perhaps not only the most concerning current issue, even surpassing the economic crisis, but also a source of grave concern for the entire society’s future. The attempts of law enforcement do not seem to be adequate, despite their fierce battles towards prevention.
The current efforts of the Ministry of Education and the Dangerous Drugs Control Board are praiseworthy. However, the pertinent question is whether such efforts alone are sufficient to control the prevailing gruesome situation. Most children unknowingly fall victim to nefarious activists who use various tricks to lure innocent children into drug use.
They usually deploy creative methods to drag youth into the use of banned substances. Even the efforts of the mainstream electronic and print media in preventing drug abuse do not seem effective on the scale expected due to the magnitude of the prevailing situation.
A young child’s future can be altered by the emotional, psychological, and physical effects of drug use in the household. When a child is battling an addiction, he or she may become too preoccupied with the drug’s power over them to notice that peers may be harmed.
In a family where drug use is prevalent, not only the user but also other young children can be forced to miss out on important developmental opportunities. They are compelled to deal with extremely upsetting and destructive drug-related events that can last a lifetime for the victim and their peers.
There are several addictive illegal drugs such as babul (Indian areca nut), madana modaka (a cannabis-based substance), cough syrups, and cannabis that are commonly used by addicts in Sri Lanka. According to law enforcement, almost all of these narcotics are sold near schools through various methods that employ creative acts to attract young students.
However, the more disturbing news is the escalating use of crystal methamphetamine (Ice) by students throughout the country, particularly in urban and suburban areas. Crystal meth, also known as ice, contains lethal poisonous chemical components for the body and is extremely addictive, causing gruesome physical and mental health problems. With a long list of extremely harmful aftereffects, including premature death, ice is considered one of the most dangerous illegal drugs available in the world.
Prevention is preferred over cure because it saves everyone from the dangers of curing before the situation worsens.Hence, in this context, even with the prevalently bleak situation, schools in the country can play an extremely important role, both inside and outside the classroom, in preventing drug harm. Students’ experiences at school can also be important protective factors against the harm caused by all types of drugs if the school culture is properly strategized.
Fortunately, in Sri Lanka, the literacy rate is beyond 92%. This means that over 92% of the population attends school, at least for the first few years. Therefore, drug prevention education programs can be initiated in lower grades with the guidance of both educators and specialists in narcotics.
The purpose of school-based drug prevention attempts is to block, prevent, or at least minimize the use of a variety of illegal substances. School-based drug prevention programs will play a pivotal role in the future as an effective weapon in the war against illegal drug use and are certain to provide successful results if the authorities and the public stand together.
Improving legal literacy among the young population, particularly school children, can have an enormous effect on drug abuse, which is increasingly becoming an intolerable nuisance to the whole society. A proper legal education inside the classroom can describe how the country’s laws work against crimes and the repercussions if one disobeys or breaks them, knowingly or unknowingly.
Most youngsters are unaware or ignorant about the punishments for such crimes. Hence, the best way to prevent criminal acts is to educate them, from an early age, about crimes, laws against crimes, and, more emphatically, the related punishments when convicted.
In this context, the introduction of basic law to school curricula at an appropriate level is a dire need at this point. The rapidity of societal changes, mainly due to technological advancements such as the internet, requires more direction to keep the escalating drug abuse in check. According to this writer’s opinion, introducing fundamental legal education into the school curriculum is one of the most needed requirements for Sri Lanka today.
There is no doubt that the subject matter is extremely sensitive to young minds, and it must be managed with extreme care and caution. Therefore, an in-depth analysis of the methodology by both educational psychologists and legal experts, as well as other stakeholders, is required before introducing any type of program to the school system.
A school is not about repairing all social evils. Yet the school system has a responsibility to engage in the future of children in whatever way possible by participating in any effort to end drug abuse. Hence, it is possible and desirable for school administrations to be concerned with drug demand reduction, drug supply reduction, and mitigating the social consequences of drug use. Although it is not the sole responsibility of education authorities to accept student attitudes towards drug use, the impact and influence of school education on behavioral changes are enormous.
Apart from legal education, counseling is an effective method to manage students when early signs such as marked personality change, mood swings, visible physical appearance, and a decrease in academic performance are detected. The counselor’s (invariably teachers’) approach should be completely based on confidentiality, which contributes to openness and trust.
Also, when assigning counseling duties, the appointing authorities must be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the teachers and their level of skills in interpersonal relations and empathy. Apart from receiving basic training, teachers must be prepared, if necessary, to refer to or seek the advice of professional drug counselors.
Drug usage is a delicate subject, and young people frequently avoid discussing it. Some of them think adults try to persuade them to stop, criticize their actions, or penalize them. A strong assisting relationship depends on building rapport and communicating understanding. referring students to professionals.
The country right now is going through the most difficult time since independence. Narcotics usage in schools is an artificially added fiend that can destroy the future generation and create untold hardships for innocent bystanders. Therefore, a properly planned, school-based drug prevention drive is a dire necessity at this point.
The curriculum must establish policies, procedures, a legal framework, and state-of-the art training facilities. Professional training on both legal and counseling aspects must be given the highest priority. In addition, the program needs the undivided attention and support of parents and family as well as the community.