Dr. Lewis.
Education Minister Dr. Robert Lewis has lauded the principal and staff at the Soufriere Comprehensive for establishing a drug-testing programme at the school.
The minister told the media that the programme was launched with the consent of concerned parents, who are involved in the entire process.
Dr. Lewis said the programme is a rehabilitative one and students are exempted from being disciplined.
The education minister said he does not believe that calls for decriminalization of marijuana have any bearing on consumption habits among students. But the schools’ Principal Joan Hippolyte has disagreed.
She told SNO in a previous interview, “The reason I think that there is that high incidence, it’s because they are thinking it’s on the radio that they are trying to legalise marijuana and it seems okay for them to use it.”
Dr. Lewis however admitted that the use of drugs has been a huge problem for many decades at learning institutions island-wide. He said these issues must not be ignored, as they can lead to addiction.
While, some persons are questioning the policy of drug testing programme, Dr. Robert Lewis said that he supports the programme fully, as it reduces the chances of students using drugs in their adult life.
Six students attending the Soufriere Comprehensive Secondary School were recently tested positive for drugs, particularly marijuana. Sixteen students were identified to undergo drug tests, only seven of the tests returned; with one test being negative. The school is awaiting the other results.
Once a test returns positive, the students will be referred to a counselor. If there is no change in their behaviour, they will be referred to rehab. A few students have in the past been sent for drugs tests, which proved positive. They later received help and has reintegrated with school life after treatment.
A study done in 2007 by the Substance Abuse Secretariat of St. Lucia with adolescents revealed that one in ten youth abuse marijuana.