SCHOOL DRUG BUSTS A GROWING TREND

Within the past three weeks, four South Whidbey High School students have
been arrested in school for possessing illegal narcotics.

The incidents, which involved the alleged possession and use of cocaine and
marijuana, are the latest in a school year that has seen drug busts at the
school increase in number and frequency.

According to school officials, the 10 busts at the high school during the
first 90 days of the school year equal the total number during the previous
school year. Not all of the incidents occurred on school grounds, according
to school administration.

That number compares with the 10 to 15 so far this year at Oak Harbor High
School.

The first of the two recent incidents occurred Jan. 30. School staff
detained two freshman girls for using what is believed to be cocaine in a
school locker room.

"One student admitted it was cocaine and that she was using because of
personal problems," said Jan Smith, spokeswoman for the Island County
Sheriff's office.

Smith said the students were apparently caught in the locker room before
class. They were released into their parents' custody. The substance was
sent to the Washington State Patrol lab for testing.

In a more recent incident, two students were discovered in possession of
marijuana and drug paraphernalia on Feb. 3. Smith said that the case has
been referred to juvenile court.

School Principal Mike Johnson said that in both case students were dealt
with according to the school's policy on substance abuse.

"The policy is students are sent home with a loss of credit," he said this
week. "They may return after five days if they agree to drug and alcohol
counseling."

While substance abuse cases at South Whidbey High School have occurred at
intervals among the school's 740 students, Oak Harbor Police have had to
deal with spurts of in-school activity among that city's 1,750 high school
students.

John Little, the officer assigned patrolling Oak Harbor High School, the
school recorded five substance abuse violations..

"It seems to run in spurts here," he said. "Out of the five last week,
three admitted to using marijuana and one student was found to be using
prescription medication."

At South Whidbey High School Island County Sheriff deputies are called when
evidence of illegal drug possession and use is discovered.

These latest cases at South Whidbey have Mike Johnson concerned.

"It's a problem and we are working to reduce and minimize drug and
substance abuse here," he said. "As a staff we are looking at things we can
do to work with families and the community to address this problem."