Fri, Jun 26, 2009, 06:25 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

June 26, Colombo: Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa today said that the next challenge of the nation is eradication of the drug menace.

Issuing a special release to mark the International Anti-Narcotics Day, which falls on today, President Rajapaksa stressed that his government would take every step necessary to overcome the drug problem in the country as soon as possible.

`Each and every day from this moment should be used to defeat the drug war,` the President pointed out.

According to the President, the nation is now facing the challenge of ensuring the country`s development, which has been set back due to the terrorism. The drug menace makes this task rather challenging, he said.

The Sri Lankan nation should come together to completely eradicate the drug menace from the country and work towards this goal every day, President Rajapaksa urged.