British Public Schools Witness Epidemic of Drug Use
Jim Kouri, CPP
January 28, 2006
Educators in Britain fear they are facing a crisis of drug abuse in top public schools. The number of students abusing or experimenting with drugs led to the creation of rehabilitation and counseling programs especially for adolescents and teenagers.
After attempting a "zero tolerance" approach to the problem, educators believe that merely suspending or expelling students for using drugs doesn't work. Some believe that in addition to zero tolerance other initiatives are necessary.
The British public schools say that as a rule they don't compile statistics on the extent of drug use among pupils. There aren't even figures on how many they have expelled for substance use.
The occurrences of substance abuse are now so "commonplace" that public school officials are attempting so-called progressive approaches. Eton has brought in an expert from one of Britain's leading addiction centers, to offer talking therapies to at-risk boys, while Malvern College has employed an in-house drug counselor.
Eton became the focus of media coverage Prince Harry, a member of the Royal Family, was caught smoking cannabis during the holidays.
Even Britain's Association of Chief Police Officers is also expected to warn the education establishment that using drug-sniffing dogs and subjecting pupils to random drug tests are not viable solutions for combating epidemic drug abuse in schools.
Anthony Little, headmaster of Eton College, told news media organizations in England that students who come forward and admit their drug use are offered the chance to talk about their problems and sign up to a drug testing contract. However, students who are discovered dealing or taking drugs continue to be expelled.
Some educators are anxiously awaiting a new study in the Good Schools Guide which will reveal the changed attitudes regarding substance abuse among Britain's most exclusive academic institutions.
Ralph Lucas, the publisher of the guide said the shift in attitudes has partly been prompted by parents who now equate smoking cannabis with getting drunk.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair once promised that schools experiencing drugs problems would be given the authority to take urine test students for drug use. But Britain, like the United States, has its problems with so-called human right groups who are fighting drug testing on the grounds that it violates the human rights of students.
Although Eton College declined to give exact figures, it conceded that students were currently participating in drug-testing contracts after experimenting with drugs. In one case, a pupil who used cocaine was referred to a treatment clinic outside the college because of the belief that he had an addictive personality.Former pupils from Eton said the school attracted drug dealers who know that the privileged pupils have plenty of money to spend.
After attempting a "zero tolerance" approach to the problem, educators believe that merely suspending or expelling students for using drugs doesn't work. Some believe that in addition to zero tolerance other initiatives are necessary.
The British public schools say that as a rule they don't compile statistics on the extent of drug use among pupils. There aren't even figures on how many they have expelled for substance use.
The occurrences of substance abuse are now so "commonplace" that public school officials are attempting so-called progressive approaches. Eton has brought in an expert from one of Britain's leading addiction centers, to offer talking therapies to at-risk boys, while Malvern College has employed an in-house drug counselor.
Eton became the focus of media coverage Prince Harry, a member of the Royal Family, was caught smoking cannabis during the holidays.
Even Britain's Association of Chief Police Officers is also expected to warn the education establishment that using drug-sniffing dogs and subjecting pupils to random drug tests are not viable solutions for combating epidemic drug abuse in schools.
Anthony Little, headmaster of Eton College, told news media organizations in England that students who come forward and admit their drug use are offered the chance to talk about their problems and sign up to a drug testing contract. However, students who are discovered dealing or taking drugs continue to be expelled.
Some educators are anxiously awaiting a new study in the Good Schools Guide which will reveal the changed attitudes regarding substance abuse among Britain's most exclusive academic institutions.
Ralph Lucas, the publisher of the guide said the shift in attitudes has partly been prompted by parents who now equate smoking cannabis with getting drunk.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair once promised that schools experiencing drugs problems would be given the authority to take urine test students for drug use. But Britain, like the United States, has its problems with so-called human right groups who are fighting drug testing on the grounds that it violates the human rights of students.
Although Eton College declined to give exact figures, it conceded that students were currently participating in drug-testing contracts after experimenting with drugs. In one case, a pupil who used cocaine was referred to a treatment clinic outside the college because of the belief that he had an addictive personality.Former pupils from Eton said the school attracted drug dealers who know that the privileged pupils have plenty of money to spend.
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