Urgent call being made to assess sale of hazardous and volatile substances to minors

An urgent call is being made by many people to assess the sale of hazardous and volatile substances to minors.

This call comes after the tragic incident involving three primary school students.

The Consumer Council said it’s submission to the National Substance Abuse Advisory Council on the draft Volatile Substance Abuse Control Decree 2013, stressed the pivotal role of traders and retailers in the sale and marketing of volatile substances, such as glue to children and other vulnerable consumers.

The council believes that traders should also be a key target group in policies or laws intended to curb the misuse or abuse of volatile substances.

Consumer Council’s Officer-in-charge, Bindula Prasad said traders should exercise responsibility and not sell hazardous products to children.

The council’s comments follow reports of the alleged suicide incident involving three students where they allegedly purchased a hazardous product at a hardware shop.

A 13-year-old student has passed away while a 13 and a 14-year-old are admitted in hospital.

Prasad said it is common sense that if a primary school student walks in and wants to buy a weed killer or glue, alarm bells should start ringing and traders should immediately know that something is not right. 

She said the business practices of retailers are crucial as they are in a position to curb product misuse by not freely selling hazardous and volatile substances, particularly to children.

Police and the Ministry of Education are yet to comment on this issue.