Pubdate: Sat, 25 Jun 2005
Source: Cyprus Mail, The (Cyprus)
Copyright: Cyprus Mail 2005
Contact:  http://www.cyprus-mail.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/100
Author: John Leonidou
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

DRUG USE IN SCHOOLS REMAINS LOW

WITH drug use on the increase on the island, the use of drugs among 
pupils remains thankfully low, the government said yesterday.

Ahead of International Anti-drug Day tomorrow, the various Ministries 
and organisations of the island have been alerting the public on the 
dangers of drugs.

According to research conducted by the Educational Psychology 
Department of the Ministry of Education, just 5.2 per cent of pupils 
in secondary schools have smoked cannabis, compared to 21 per cent on 
average in Europe.

Presenting the results, Michalis Papadopoulos, Chief Educational 
Psychologist, said 3.1 per cent of pupils had used ecstasy, whereas 
the number of pupils using hard drugs such as amphetamines, cocaine 
and heroin is 2.5 per cent.

But the authorities are concerned at a rise to 12.5 per cent in the 
number of pupils discovered to be using various medicinal drugs such 
as tranquilisers without the authorisation of doctors.

Education Minister Pefkios Georgiades said that although drug use in 
schools was low there was still a higher proportion of pupils, 15.1 
per cent, consuming alcohol or smoking cigarettes. "We also see that 
male pupils tend to do drug use more than female pupils, except in 
the cases of medicinal drugs where girls outweigh the boys."

According to questions answered by pupils in a survey, those who are 
shown little attention by their parents and left to their own devices 
are more likely to start taking drugs. Research also revealed that 
all districts of the island had around the same level of drug use in 
schools, with only the schools in the Paphos and Famagusta districts 
showing marginally higher results than those in Nicosia, Larnaca and Paphos.

The Educational Psychology Department recommended plans aimed at 
helping pupils combat depression and the feeling of failure in 
schools as a means of keeping them away from drugs.

Finally, the department has recommended a special committee for each 
school aimed at investigating behaviour problems of pupils.
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MAP posted-by: Beth