Pubdate: Tue, 04 Apr 2006
Source: Gulf Times (Qatar)
Copyright: Gulf Times Newspaper, 2006
Contact:  http://www.gulf-times.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3835
Author: DPA
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

EYE SCANS IN MALAYSIAN SCHOOLS TO DETECT JUNKIES

Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia will soon begin using eye-scan  machines in 
schools to detect drug usage among teenage  pupils after reports that 
a large number of adult drug  users begin their addictions while in 
school, media  reports said yesterday.

Deputy Education Minister Noh Omar said the  200,000-ringgit ($53,333)
machines should be able to  detect signs of drug use within 24 hours
by using light  displays to measure eye movement.

A preliminary test of the eye scans is to be conducted  next month at
a school in Kuala Lumpur, he said.

"This machine will enable more students to undergo drug  checks so
that those suspected of being addicted can  undergo counselling and
begin the recovery process,"  Noh was quoted as saying by the
Malay-language Berita  Harian daily.

Previously, the government had been conducting random  urine tests on
teenage students in schools.

Noh said many parents had expressed discomfort at the  urine tests,
adding that only pupils with a positive  reading from the eye-scan
machine will have to get  their urine tested.

He said the government would also make it compulsory  for teachers to
begin the day with a five-minute  lecture on the perils of taking
drugs as part of a  nationwide anti-drug campaign targeted at
schoolchildren.

"If every day for five minutes, we keep talking about  drugs, it is
hoped this will instil an awareness in the  children of the dangers of
drug abuse," he said.

The government revealed Thursday that a total of 17.7  per cent of
drug addicts polled in Kuala Lumpur had  started their addictions
before the age of 13 with  morphine and heroine topping the list of
favoured  substances.

Authorities said Malaysia has more than 500,000  addicts, but health
workers fear the numbers could be  much higher.

Despite Malaysia's tough drug laws, which prescribe a  mandatory death
sentence by hanging for drug  trafficking, drug addiction continues to
be on the  rise.

The eye-scan machines use a 30-second display to test  how a subject's
eyes react to light. The machine is  able to detect and identify the
use of eight categories  of drugs, including marijuana, depressants,
opiates,  stimulants and inhalants as well as alcohol.
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MAP posted-by: Tom