News:2025-06-01/Report/nddcb-handbook-of-drug-abuse-information-in-sri-lanka-2025

1 June 2025

Report

Sri Lanka·

NDDCB Handbook of Drug Abuse Information in Sri Lanka 2025

The NDDCB published its most comprehensive annual handbook (ISBN 978-624-6011-11-6), consolidating data from all key government agencies for the period 2020–2024. The five-year arrest trend showed a steady escalation from 97,416 (2020) to 228,450 (2024), with the arrest prevalence rate among the 15–64 population reaching 1,050 per 100,000 in 2024. Cannabis-related arrests rose from 41,080 (2020) to 75,602 (2024), while methamphetamine arrests exploded from 2,387 to 68,132 over the same period. Cannabis seizures showed a contrasting decline: 16,195 kg (2020), 15,628 kg (2021), 17,607 kg (2022), 10,221 kg (2023), 8,360 kg (2024) — halving in two years while arrests increased, suggesting either shifting enforcement priorities, supply disruption, or changes in trafficking patterns. Drug-related prison admissions reached 31,314 in 2024 (65.5% of all prison admissions), with heroin accounting for 53.2%, methamphetamine 30.2%, and cannabis 15.9%. Treatment admissions rose to 3,140, with 58.8% through community-based outreach. The handbook includes sections on drug prices, drug-related crimes, money laundering, precursor chemicals, road accidents, and consumption of cannabis for medical purposes by Ayurvedic practitioners.

Source: https://www.nddcb.gov.lk/Docs/research/Final_Handbook_2025.pdf

2025-06-01 Report NDDCB Handbook of Drug Abuse Information in Sri Lanka 2025 The NDDCB published its most comprehensive annual handbook (ISBN 978-624-6011-11-6), consolidating data from all key government agencies for the period 2020–2024. The five-year arrest trend showed a steady escalation from 97,416 (2020) to 228,450 (2024), with the arrest prevalence rate among the 15–64 population reaching 1,050 per 100,000 in 2024. Cannabis-related arrests rose from 41,080 (2020) to 75,602 (2024), while methamphetamine arrests exploded from 2,387 to 68,132 over the same period. Cannabis seizures showed a contrasting decline: 16,195 kg (2020), 15,628 kg (2021), 17,607 kg (2022), 10,221 kg (2023), 8,360 kg (2024) — halving in two years while arrests increased, suggesting either shifting enforcement priorities, supply disruption, or changes in trafficking patterns. Drug-related prison admissions reached 31,314 in 2024 (65.5% of all prison admissions), with heroin accounting for 53.2%, methamphetamine 30.2%, and cannabis 15.9%. Treatment admissions rose to 3,140, with 58.8% through community-based outreach. The handbook includes sections on drug prices, drug-related crimes, money laundering, precursor chemicals, road accidents, and consumption of cannabis for medical purposes by Ayurvedic practitioners. https://www.nddcb.gov.lk/Docs/research/Final Handbook 2025.pdf Sri Lanka