Pubdate: Wed, 26 Mar 2008
Source: Age, The (Australia)
Copyright: 2008 The Age Company Ltd
Contact:  http://www.theage.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5
Authors: Farrah Tomazin, and Bridie Smith
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)

POCKET MONEY LINK TO DRUG USE BY TEENAGERS

ILLICIT drug use by Australian schoolchildren is more common among 
those with the most pocket money, according to new research.

But a year-long study into whether schools should test for drugs 
found that alcohol was a far more widespread problem among teenagers 
than illicit substances such as cannabis, ecstasy and methamphetamine.

The finding comes on the eve of today's COAG summit, at which Prime 
Minister Kevin Rudd and state and territory leaders will discuss 
strategies to tackle teenage binge drinking.

The research, by the Australian National Council on Drugs, found that 
in any given week, one in five 16 to 17-year-olds drank at harmful 
levels. By contrast, fewer than 4% of school students were regular 
users of cannabis, and fewer than 1% used other illicit drugs.

The researchers came out strongly against testing for drugs in 
schools, saying it would be unreliable, legally risky and, in some 
cases, could prompt students to stay away from school to avoid being tested.

Children could also be embarrassed or traumatised by the process, 
particularly if they were falsely suspected of taking drugs or given 
a false reading, the report said.

"Drug testing would just create alienation in schools," the National 
Council on Drugs' executive director, Gino Vumbaca, said. "We need to 
have more strategies where students feel a stronger sense of being 
connected to their school."

The report, Drug Testing in Schools - Evidence, Impacts and 
Alternatives, was prompted by growing public concern over drug use at 
private and government schools.

The report found that students with relatively high disposable 
incomes were most at risk of getting into drugs. Those who had 
between $21 and $60 a week in pocket money were 60% more likely to 
have used drugs in the past 12 months than those with less than $20 a 
week to spend.

The study was based on a review of international research and a 
nationwide survey of almost 300 people. It also found:

? An annual saliva test on each student would cost $355 million, and 
an annual urine test would cost $302 million.

? Below-average academic performers were more likely to use illicit 
drugs than above-average students.

? Illicit drug use in schools had been declining for a decade.

In Victoria, few schools conduct drug tests, and those that do tend 
to be private schools.

A spokeswoman for Education Minister Bronwyn Pike said state schools 
were required to provide educational programs and report drug 
offences to the police, but the Government did not support "any type 
of drug testing in schools for students and teachers".

Melbourne Grammar principal Paul Sheahan said his school had 
drug-tested boys for about 10 years, but only if there was a strong 
suspicion that students were using drugs. "The idea is one of 
salvation, rather than damnation," he said.

But Australian Secondary Principals Association president Andrew 
Blair said drug testing could do more harm than good, and schools 
would be better off creating intervention strategies and focusing on 
education, health and wellbeing, and support for staff and students. 
"Creating an environment of mistrust is not the answer," Mr Blair said.

Of those surveyed for the report, more than 70% said they either 
opposed or strongly opposed drug testing in schools, 96% said it 
would lead to mistrust between students and school staff, and 72% 
believed testing would stigmatise students with drug problems.

The pro-testing lobby group Drug Free Australia said it would be 
"extremely unfortunate" if the report resulted in no testing taking 
place in schools where drugs were an issue.

Executive officer Jo Baxter said the report had failed to include 
some contemporary research, including a 2007 United Nations World 
Drug Report, which showed Australia leading the OECD in per-capita 
illicit drug use among 15 to 64-year-olds.

She said there was also evidence that the age of initial use of drugs 
was getting younger as ice and methamphetamine use increased. "We are 
concerned that this report might preclude (testing) as an option for 
schools," she said.

"It shouldn't be ruled out because for some schools it would be very 
appropriate - particularly if it's not punitive and it's about early 
intervention."

Drug and Alcohol Research and Training Australia spokesperson Paul 
Dillon said drug-testing students in schools would send the wrong messages.

"Testing can imply that drug taking is mainstream, it's saying that 
it's so rampant that we have to test for it on a regular basis. But 
every piece of information we have is that drug taking is not the 
norm and we should be promoting that," he said.

In 2006, independent South Australian MP and anti-drugs campaigner 
Ann Bressington called for compulsory drug tests for all secondary 
school students.

Yesterday she said the findings indicated that the National Council 
on Drugs was out of step with the views of parents. "This problem 
will continue to grow and parents won't get the support they need," 
she said. "Parents have complained to me that students who are 
obviously drug-affected in the classroom are disruptive, aggressive 
and abusive, and this makes the classroom environment very difficult."
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