PORTSMOUTH - A group of about 50 parents Tuesday night shared poignant stories of their children's struggles with drugs and urged the Portsmouth School Board and administration to take action in enforcing a drug policy at Portsmouth High School that students will respect.

"My hope is that, after today, we won't have to have another meeting again," said parent Bob Montville, who organized the meeting at the Comfort Inn to bring the issue of drugs at PHS further out in the open one week after the board held its own meeting to address the issue.

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PORTSMOUTH - Wanting to stay out of a "local political issue," state police have turned down a request to send a K-9 officer and drug-detecting dog to tonight's parents meeting regarding the Portsmouth High School drug policy.

"This issue was examined to be a local political issue between the School Board and this parents group," said Lt. David Kelley of the New Hampshire State Police Troop A. "It's best dealt with at the local level."

Parents requested the dog come to the 7 p.m. meeting at the Comfort Inn on Lafayette Road for a demonstration on how it is used to search for drugs in schools. The School Board held a public meeting last week to address concerns about the school's drug policy.

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