COLOMBO, Sept. 29 -- Sri Lanka's National Dangerous Drugs Control Board (NDDCB) said on Monday that Sri Lanka's Western Province records the highest number of drug-addicted schoolchildren, with Colombo district accounting for most cases.

The NDDCB said in a statement that children from low-income communities in Colombo and its suburbs are particularly vulnerable. Certain parts of the Kandy district, along with Gampaha, Kurunegala, Anuradhapura, Galle, Ratnapura, and Kalutara, were also identified as high-risk areas.

Peer influence has been cited as a major driver of drug use among schoolchildren, while weak implementation of school drug prevention policies and limited involvement of principals and education offices have worsened the ...