DRUGS IN SCHOOLS 'NOT A PROBLEM'

An agency says a new survey amongst schoolchildren in Powys has found drug
misuse problems are "very small".

More than 4,000 pupils completed questionnaires commissioned by Powys
Substance Misuse Action Team.

Figures reveal that 76.6% of children have never been offered cannabis,
while 95% claim they have not been offered ecstasy.

The multi-agency team claims this is evidence that children are not taking
advantage of so-called relaxed drug laws.

Pupils aged between 11 and 18 from 10 of the 13 high schools in Powys took
part in the Powys Schools Drug and Alcohol Survey.

Action team chairman, Mike Gregory, said: "Claims the youngsters in the
county are taking advantage of relaxed drug legislation are simply not
bourn out by our very detailed research.

"We carried out a wide-ranging survey of secondary pupils in Powys with
more than 4,000 youngsters responding to our questionnaire which was
compiled by the police.

"We questioned them on their attitude and experiences with drugs such as
cannabis, LSD, crack cocaine, ecstasy and other substances.

"The findings were consistent throughout the county and showed that the
problem in the county is very small."

Of those who have been offered drugs, less than 13% say this was in a
'school setting.'

Mr Gregory added: "We asked the young people that if they'd been offered
drugs where were they offered them and the majority said the streets, while
others cited pubs, parties and a small minority said from a school setting.

"We also asked the children what type of drugs they'd been offered and how
many times they'd tried a certain substance.

The team plans to release an anonymised survey in July.

"While the team is not complacent it is only fair that the size of the
problem in our schools is put into context," said Mr Gregory.

"Drug abuse in Powys is tiny compared to other counties in the country,
happily a very high percentage of our youngsters have never been offered
drugs let alone taken them."

Chief executive of Powys Drugs and Alcohol Council, Neil Carter, said
agencies in the county had strong links and worked hard to deliver an
anti-drug message.

He added: "There are some young people who do have drug problems and we
work with them, but I'm prepared to accept what the report says that the
school drug problem in Powys isn't significant and not as bad as other
areas of the country."