DRUG HARVEST 'HITS SCHOOLS'

A recent spate of marijuana busts at schools throughout New Zealand is a
reflection of the political and seasonal climate, according to the New
Zealand Catholic Education Office.

Executive director Patrick Lynch said late summer was always a difficult
time for secondary school principals, with the harvesting of the marijuana
crop throughout the country.

This year, the problem was being compounded by political debate about
marijuana. "It ... reflects the proactive campaign being promoted by some
political leaders who advocate the right of individuals to grow their own
plants for their personal use," Brother Lynch said.

The Green Party endorses the decriminalisation of marijuana.

During the last two weeks, Green MP Nandor Tanczos has toured tertiary
campuses around the country to drum up support for the decriminalisation of
marijuana and other issues.

Brother Lynch said such policy was "short-sighted and out of touch with
reality street".

"It is a brain-dead stance to advocate the use of marijuana when any school
principal will tell you of the devastating effects on learning that
marijuana has on young people - it is not a pretty sight," he said.

"Too many student lives have already been blighted simply because young
people wrongly believe cannabis is harmless."

Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party general secretary Brandon Hutchison denied
that the present debate about marijuana would increase the drug's usage
among school children.

He said decriminalising marijuana would allow increased control of
children's access to the drug.

"Prohibition is not controlling the drug. What it's doing is relinquishing
control ...

"There's absolutely no way you can control who is going to try to give the
drug to your children."

Mr Hutchison said nobody was advocating the use of marijuana in schools.

"I don't think kids should go to school stoned, and similarly I don't think
they should go to school drunk."

The ALCP believes the legal age for using marijuana should be 18.

Christchurch high school principals said marijuana usage among school
children was a cause for concern.

However, he said schools had to be careful no matter what the season.

Burnside High School principal Graham Stoop said: "Our community is very
aware that from time to time we invite the police to take a search.

"I don't care what time of the year it is. I think schools have to be
forever vigilant."