CANNABIS FOUND ON WEARSIDE PUPILS

Nine pupils have been found with cannabis in schools across Sunderland
in the last three years.

Figures obtained by the Echo under the Freedom of Information Act show
that youngsters aged between 13 and 16 have been caught in schools
across Wearside with "small amounts" of cannabis on them.

Sunderland City Council and Sunderland Police said the pupils were
dealt with and work is continuing to stamp out drugs in schools.

Chief Superintendent Dave Pryer said Neighbourhood Policing Teams work
closely with schools on issues like drugs, with some teams based in
the schools.

He said: "We will continue to work alongside schools and the local
authority to ensure pupils are receiving the correct information with
regards to the dangers of drug use."

Yesterday the Echo revealed that 19 per cent of youngsters had
admitted to taking drugs, up from 16 per cent the year before.

Former drug user Pete Sanders, of drug awareness group Voice, is
warning youngsters thinking of using cannabis of the dangers.

"Kids are going to experiment and if they are going to then what I
would say is be very wary of peer pressure," he said.

"Nine out of 10 times it's peer pressure that lead to people starting,
and in some cases this can lead to harder drugs."

He added that using cannabis was often seen as part of youth culture
but said the side-effects can be deadly.

"It can exasperate mental health issues if they are already there,
because it is smoked with tobacco there are also the dangers of lung
cancer, and if it smoked through a pipe then you can strain the
stomach muscles through coughing."

The council provides support to youngsters through its Youth Drug and
Alcohol Project, which offers advice and counselling to kids and their
families.

Dr Helen Patterson, director of children's services at the council,
said: "Policies include drug and alcohol education and other
preventative information, as well as how to manage drug and alcohol
incidents.

"The protocol for the use of police drug dogs on school premises is an
example of how Children's Services, Northumbria Police and schools
worked closely together to try to make our schools safer.

"Schools have a responsibility for the safety and well-being of the
wider school community by emphasising the dangers of drug and alcohol
misuse to all young people, while also addressing the needs of the
individual young person directly affected.

"We strongly support the good work the police do in schools and
particularly the advice and support they offer to headteachers in
establishing strong approaches to preventing young people putting
themselves and others at risk in a number of ways."