BLAIR PROVOKES FURY OVER SCHOOL DRUG TESTS

Tony Blair provoked fury yesterday from drugs charities and some teachers'
leaders by pledging his support for random drug tests on pupils in schools.

The Prime Minister said new guidance to be issued to schools nationwide
next month would offer support to headteachers to carry out random drug
tests. But a leading drugs charity warned last night that the move would
drive the drug culture "further underground" and destroy relationships of
trust between pupils and schools. One teachers' leader said the plans would
be "unworkable".

Mr Blair said in the News of the World yesterday: "We can't force them to
do it but if heads believe they have a problem in their school then they
should be able to do random drug testing. Guidance will be given for
headteachers next month, which is going to give them specifically the power
to do random drug testing within their schools. Some headteachers may worry
that, if they go down this path, they are declaring there is a problem
within their school. But, in my view, the local community is probably
perfectly well aware there is a problem."

The tests would be carried out through urine samples or allowing police
with sniffer dogs on to the premises. The Department for Education and
Skills saidthat schools already have the power to carry out random drug
tests - providing they have the support of parents.

Martin Barnes, the chief executive of the drugs charity DrugScope, said the
plan would do nothing to reduce drug abuse among pupils. He said: "We don't
accept that drug testing and the random use of sniffer dogs are an
appropriate or effective response to the drug use amongst children and
young people. These measures risk driving drug use further underground, an
increase in truancies and exclusions, and a breakdown in trust between
pupils and schools."