Schools ‘fear drug-use publicity’

Press, 3 September 1986, Page 1

Schools ‘fear drug-use publicity’

PA Wellington Many schools deny that they have pupils with drug, solvent and alcohol problems for fear of public criticism, says the clinical director of the National Society on Alcohol and Drug Dependency, Mr Clint Miller. He said yesterday that young people throughout New Zealand had problems with chemical dependency, and schools had a responsibility to provide them with information and refer them to the appropriate agencies. However, while the braver principals were prepared to ask for help, many found it easier to deny they had a problem. “A lot are worried about what will be said about their schools if they admit to it,” Mr Miller said. His comments follow the death of a Christchurch boy, aged 13, from petrol-sniffing last month. His mother now plans to start a petition seeking to make solvent abuse illegal. Mr Miller said he be? lleved schools could help combat the problem by making sure all teachers were well informed about drug and alcohol problems, and both able to recognise the symptoms of abuse and provide pupils with information. Taking an authoritarian approach and telling them that taking drugs was wrong; and pointless because young people hated authority and would experlment with drugs anyway. He said it was also very important that a whole family was involved in dealing with the problem. Petition, page