Pupils’ drug use survey

Press, 16 March 1982, Page 16

Pupils’ drug use survey

PA Hamilton Almost one in four Waikato secondary schoolchildren surveyed last week by the anti-drug campaigner, Mr Ray Comfort, claimed to have tried illicit drugs. Well over half the children said drugs were available in their schbol grounds. The survey was based on a questionnaire distributed to 391 pupils: of Fairfield College, Hillcrest High School,

Huntly College, and Mornnsville College. Children responding to the questionnaire did not giye their names. Mr Comfort is a minister of the New Brighton Christian Centre, which funds the Christchurch Drug Prevention Centre, and the survey was part of a prevention ' programme in schools. Many of those who claimed knowledge of drugs . were 13 or 14 years of age. At one school, a teacher said there was no drug problem. Minutes later, two girls from the teacher’s class told Mr Comfort that the school

was “full of it” and that one boy in the class was almost continually “stoned.” Police “busted” pupils at one school 30 minutes after the drug preventionn session ended. Mr Comfort said he detected no heroin or LSD use. “But if children are getting ‘pot,’ other stuff is probably available,” he said. Evidence in schools in Waikato and elsewhere pointed to a need for continuing drug education programmes funded by the Government, said Mr Comfort. “But virtually nothing is being done,” she said.