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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Plan for school drug-test trials | Plan for school drug-test trials |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| School pupils could be tested for drugs as part of a new study to assess whether such moves affect behaviour, attendance and academic achievement. | School pupils could be tested for drugs as part of a new study to assess whether such moves affect behaviour, attendance and academic achievement. |
| The government is asking schools in England to sign up to a six-month trial in January. | |
| Head teachers who have already tried random, voluntary drug-testing say it has had a positive effect. | Head teachers who have already tried random, voluntary drug-testing say it has had a positive effect. |
| But the government's own drug advisory panel has raised concerns about the ethical and legal issues involved. | But the government's own drug advisory panel has raised concerns about the ethical and legal issues involved. |
| The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, which also believes there has been a lack of evidence that testing is effective, has recommended that random tests be abandoned. | The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, which also believes there has been a lack of evidence that testing is effective, has recommended that random tests be abandoned. |
| 'Extreme measure' | 'Extreme measure' |
| Charity DrugScope has also previously warned that testing in schools is an "extreme measure". | Charity DrugScope has also previously warned that testing in schools is an "extreme measure". |
| The warning, in May, followed news that secondary schools in Kent would be carrying out tests as part of a pilot scheme. | The warning, in May, followed news that secondary schools in Kent would be carrying out tests as part of a pilot scheme. |
| We wanted to give young people an excuse to say no Terry CreissonHeadmaster | We wanted to give young people an excuse to say no Terry CreissonHeadmaster |
| DrugScope says there is no evidence to suggest such testing has lowered drugs use and such "intrusive programmes" are inappropriate in the context of a school. | DrugScope says there is no evidence to suggest such testing has lowered drugs use and such "intrusive programmes" are inappropriate in the context of a school. |
| However, some head teachers who have tried random, voluntary testing say it gives children the power to say "no" to drugs outside school and improves attendance rates and behaviour by making pupils feel safer. | However, some head teachers who have tried random, voluntary testing say it gives children the power to say "no" to drugs outside school and improves attendance rates and behaviour by making pupils feel safer. |
| Colne Community School in Essex has been running trials of random drug tests for more than a year. | Colne Community School in Essex has been running trials of random drug tests for more than a year. |
| No pupils have so far tested positive, but the school says that is not the point. | No pupils have so far tested positive, but the school says that is not the point. |
| Headteacher Terry Creisson said: "We wanted to give young people an excuse to say no. | Headteacher Terry Creisson said: "We wanted to give young people an excuse to say no. |
| "Having drugs education programmes in schools is all well and good but having the drug testing programme means that they can turn round to their friends and say 'I can't take drugs because I could be tested next week'." | "Having drugs education programmes in schools is all well and good but having the drug testing programme means that they can turn round to their friends and say 'I can't take drugs because I could be tested next week'." |
| Saliva sample | Saliva sample |
| The government plans comes amid research which suggests around one in four children have tried drugs by the age of 15. | The government plans comes amid research which suggests around one in four children have tried drugs by the age of 15. |
| Under the voluntary procedure, a saliva sample supplied by a pupil can be tested for traces of cannabis, amphetamines, morphine and cocaine. | Under the voluntary procedure, a saliva sample supplied by a pupil can be tested for traces of cannabis, amphetamines, morphine and cocaine. |
| Results can be achieved in about 20 minutes. | Results can be achieved in about 20 minutes. |
| The child, or their parents on their behalf, can refuse a test at any time. | The child, or their parents on their behalf, can refuse a test at any time. |
| Each testing kit costs around £13, so it costs Colne Community School around £6,000 a year to carry out one random test daily. | Each testing kit costs around £13, so it costs Colne Community School around £6,000 a year to carry out one random test daily. |
| 'Improved performances' | |
| Peter Walker, a former head teacher, is a government consultant for the pilot project and said the tests were easy to do and produced good results. | Peter Walker, a former head teacher, is a government consultant for the pilot project and said the tests were easy to do and produced good results. |
| "It doesn't cause any harm whatsoever, a child still has a right to say no, indeed so does a parent, it doesn't disrupt the running of the school, it's relatively cheap to do and brings great benefits like improved performances," he said. | "It doesn't cause any harm whatsoever, a child still has a right to say no, indeed so does a parent, it doesn't disrupt the running of the school, it's relatively cheap to do and brings great benefits like improved performances," he said. |
| However, Vivienne Edwards from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, said: "Our recommendation is that drug testing shouldn't be used in schools because of the potential impact on the pupil-teacher relationship and because of the complex technical and organisational and ethical issues that surround it." | However, Vivienne Edwards from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, said: "Our recommendation is that drug testing shouldn't be used in schools because of the potential impact on the pupil-teacher relationship and because of the complex technical and organisational and ethical issues that surround it." |
| She added that there was so far no evidence that such testing reduces drug taking among young people. | She added that there was so far no evidence that such testing reduces drug taking among young people. |
| In September the Scottish Executive insisted that it had no plans to introduce random drug testing into schools. | In September the Scottish Executive insisted that it had no plans to introduce random drug testing into schools. |
| It came after the Headteachers' Association of Scotland (HAS) backed calls from a drugs expert to introduce random checks. | It came after the Headteachers' Association of Scotland (HAS) backed calls from a drugs expert to introduce random checks. |