PARENTS WARNED OF DRUG DANGERS

Parents have been warned about long-lasting physical and intellectual
dangers of cannabis on growing teenage brains in a hard-hitting plea from
Wakatipu High School.

The warning from school principal Kevin Orlowski and board of trustees
chairwoman Ann Mann in yesterday's school newsletter listed tell-tale clues
for parents suspecting cannabis use in their child.

Not only should they watch out for fits of "the munchies" and
"uncontrollable giggles," but parents were warned to check their kitchen
drawers and watch for dwindling deodorant supplies.

"You may also notice money and kitchen utensils disappearing, lots of
deodorant being used or a sweet herbal tea like smell," the newsletter warned.

The report comes just over a week after a third former was suspended and
six other 13-year-old students temporarily stood down for smoking cannabis
at a school camp.

The report stressed the heightened health dangers of cannabis use on
maturing young adults.

The effect of cannabis on the brain and reproductive systems was much worse
on a young growing body, Mr Orlowski said.

Students who smoked cannabis were very difficult to teach because the drug
affected the short term memory functions of the brain, the call to parents
said.

"This leads to students forgetting they were ever taught or ever did some
things, making marijuana smokers very difficult to teach," it said.

"If they do use drugs while they are young then we will find it impossible
to get them anywhere near their potential."

The community needed to buy in to the drug-free message for all its young
people and "help stop marijuana stealing our kids' future," the report said.

"A weekend smoker is impaired all week," Mr Orlowski's report said.

Mr Orlowski's report likened cannabis effects on teenagers to those of
weedkiller on a young growing tree.

An adult tree sprayed with Roundup turned yellow and then recovered. "Spray
a small amount onto a young tree and if you don't kill it, you will deform
it for life.".

He outlined the school's extensive drug education programme.

The school's campaign had included several visits from police sniffer dogs.

Counselling, drug testing and other support was available to students and
parents, "but obviously the message isn't being received," Mr Orlowski said.

Mrs Mann said parents needed to be aware of the danger of drugs and alcohol
on growing brains.