SCHOOLS URINE-TEST STUDENTS FOR DOPE

Some secondary schools in the Wellington region are urine testing students
for cannabis use, in a bid to clean up their playgrounds.

Onslow College, in Johnsonville, began testing students caught in
possession of the drug, or supplying it, two months ago.

Principal Peter Smith said the policy reminded students that drugs would
not be tolerated at the school. Parents and students must agree to the
testing after the student has appeared before the school board of trustees.

The school was working with three students at present.

"Some schools around the country will take the attitude that if you are
picked up with the stuff in the school you're down the road . . . but the
school has a responsibility to try and help the students and their
families," he said.

Reaction to urine testing had been positive but the school was unlikely to
introduce random tests. It had a range of options including sending
students back before the board of trustees if the tests showed dope was
still being smoked.

Upper Hutt College principal Peter Lee said students suspended for cannabis
use had to test negative for the drug before being allowed back in class.
Such students and their parents also had to agree that the student could be
subject to random testing.

Mr Lee said "less enlightened" schools tended to expel cannabis users but
his school chose to examine each case on its merits. Cannabis use was not a
major problem at Upper Hutt College.

Both principals said they used an independent medical centre to carry out
urine testing.

Some New Zealand schools have hung back from introducing urine testing
because it may not be legal.

But Rotorua lawyer Jon Olphert, a school trustee, said yesterday while the
practice had yet to be tested in court, talk of breaching students' rights
should not stop schools from introducing it.

Meanwhile, principals at Kapiti and Wairarapa schools have mixed views on
the major Regional Public Health report on cannabis use in their areas. The
report, for the Health Funding Authority, was released this week. It showed
19 per cent of 16-year-olds described themselves as current cannabis users.

The survey of nearly 4000 students aged 13-17 found 30 per cent of
Wairarapa students and 36 per cent of Kapiti students had tried cannabis.

Kapiti College principal John Russell said the figures didn't reflect
reality. He believed isolated incidents had been inflated to make the drug
problem appear worse.

"It's a very rare thing in this school to smell dope in the toilets. Staff
aren't reporting kids who are out of it with drugs."

Chris Scott, principal of Makoura College, Masterton, said his students
were required to take counselling if found to be using drugs, and to
undergo urine tests to ensure they remained drug-free. Parents had agreed
to the measures.

Otaki College deputy principal Jude Hammond said drugs were a community
problem, which made them a school problem.