DRUG TESTING IN SCHOOLS TO TAKE CAUTIOUS TACK

Justice Chief Says Understanding Important in Tackling
Problem

Drug testing in secondary schools must not be implemented rashly and
must first be considered thoroughly, Secretary for Justice Wong
Yan-lung said after meeting several hundred principals of primary and
secondary schools yesterday.

Mr Wong said schools would not be "labelled" as a result of drug tests
if they all conducted the same test.

The Action Committee Against Narcotics has proposed to the
inter-departmental taskforce on young drug abuse - led by Mr Wong -
that drug testing be done at schools with parents' consent, given the
rising number of young drug abusers.

Recent figures showed there were 1,226 regular drug abusers under 21
in Hong Kong in the first quarter of this year, 15.2 per cent more
than the 1,064 reported last year.

Mr Wong said yesterday that voluntary drug tests at schools were under
consideration, but that they should not replicate tests done in other
cities or the tests done in some international schools.

"We must understand the situation in Hong Kong that some schools might
not be able to do regular checking," he said. "So we cannot merely
copy what others are doing."

He also said the taskforce was considering allowing police to conduct
drug tests when they had reasonable cause for suspicion, but that
would involve legislation and public consultation.

Permanent Secretary for Education Raymond Wong Hung-chiu said after
the meeting with principals that the Education Department would
provide more training to teachers and students.

"Some teachers have said they do not know the latest information or
trends about drugs. We would give more information and hope teachers
can discern which students are on drugs as soon as possible," he said.

Subsidised Secondary Schools Council chairman Wong She-lai said
schools would work with the Education Bureau if random testing were
introduced.

But, Ms Wong said: "Any drug tests on students must be agreed by their
parents. The only role that schools can play is to co-operate with the
government.

"It would be a big help if we could reach out to students who are on
drugs and let them know that some drugs will definitely harm their
health."

She said the most effective way to tackle drug abuse among teenagers
was to build consensus among them to say no to drugs.

The taskforce launched a two-year campaign against youth drug abuse
last week with the aim of correcting common misconceptions about
psychotropic substances by raising public awareness through publicity
programmes.

It is expected to report on more projects to be implemented this
October.