The Board of Education is considering the use of "drug-sniffing dogs" as a tool to fight the substance-abuse crisis in Hawai'i public schools. This program would use dogs that are proficient and certified to detect not only drugs, but alcohol, gunpowder and abused medications.

A detection-canine program is critically needed in Hawai'i schools. School canine programs have been proven to be effective and have been supported by courts across the country. News reports have pointed to U.S. Department of Justice findings that Hawai'i has the highest rate in the nation of high school students who drink on campus -- more than twice the national average. And our state is tied for second in the nation for marijuana use on campus.

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