60 PUPILS BARRED IN BAY FOR DRUGS

At least 60 Western Bay students were barred from school last year for
smoking or dealing drugs on school grounds.

The number stood down, suspended or expelled was more than doubled
that recorded in 2006. Despite the increase, Western Bay principals
say the message of zero tolerance is getting through.

Students who are caught or suspected of using drugs at school are -
with parental approval - drug tested by a nurse and given counselling
and rehabilitation.

Principals revealed the number one drug with which Western Bay
students were caught was marijuana. On rare occasions alcohol was found.

One principal suspected some students may be trying methamphetamine,
more commonly known as P, but not on school grounds.

Principals are blaming a combination of social acceptance, peer
pressure and family drug abuse for the problem.

Te Puke High School deputy principal David Crone said youth were
"vulnerable to exposure" and principals were concerned harder drugs
may one day enter schools.

Mr Crone suspected some pupils were using P at weekends based on
drastic changes in behaviour.

"Their mood changes but there's no other symptoms, unlike marijuana,
where you can smell it and their eyes are bloodshot," he said.

Katikati College head Peter Leggatt said his school had a programme of
random drug tests, education about the dangers of drugs, and
counselling.

"The kids we catch at school are not the hardened drug users. They're
the ones who are experimenting and the ones that know they've made a
real mistake. They appreciate it [the help] and are enthusiastic to
show their real qualities and character," he said. He said there was a
problem in Bay of Plenty with the ready accessibility of drugs,
particularly marijuana.

Drug testing students was sometimes the only thing that kept them
clean, Otumoetai College principal Dave Randell said.

He said it was mostly Year 9 students (13 to 14-year-olds) who were
caught or suspected of taking drugs This was typical of their age
bracket because they wanted to experiment.

He said most senior students thought it was "stupid" and often
notified teachers if they knew, or suspected, others were taking drugs.

Otumoetai College nurse Marie Batterman said the drug test - which
costs $7 each - took about four minutes to produce a result.

Child psychotherapist Augustina Driessen, of Whakamarama, said
children that experimented with drugs generally did not have a secure
attachment or emotional bond at home.