SUSPENSIONS OVER DRUGS RISE IN SCHOOLS

Drug-related offences comprised 104 of the 1482 total suspensions from
Canterbury schools in 1998 to 1999, up from 82 out of 1227 in the previous
12 months.

All schools in Christchurch have some form of drug education as part of the
health curriculum, which can include police and celebrity visits along with
health information.

All schools also have a zero-tolerance policy, but methods for monitoring
and reducing drug usage among students range from doing almost nothing to
get-tough policies, including random police searches and the suspension or
expulsion of drug-abusing students.

Burnside High School principal Graham Stoop said his school supports active
co-operation with the police for occasional dog searches.

Other schools said any student caught with cannabis is referred immediately
to the youth aid section of the police.

Mairehau High School principal Neil Lancaster said such students are
required to take on a drug education and counselling programme, drawn up in
conjunction with support agencies and the students' families.

Christchurch Boys' High School principal Colin Croudis said students who
were known to be using cannabis irregularly at weekends were currently
undergoing counselling and urine tests as part of a programme drawn up with
their parents.

Schools stressed that decriminalisation would put pressure on their ability
to deal with drug use.

Schools have recommended an inter-agency approach to combating drug use
with a co-ordinated response from law enforcement agencies, community
groups, schools, and families.