Should the government fund sniffer dogs for schools to target drug use?

[AB Asks]

The head of a leading independent fee-paying school has called for the government to fund sniffer dogs for schools. The aim would be to clamp down on pupils using drugs by having the dogs scour the school to see if they find anything. Is this the right approach to the drugs in school issue? Do you think there is a drugs problem in many schools?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/6568403.s tm

[LeMarchand]

I certainly think that it would discourage drug use/commerce in schools! As for the second question, I doubt if you'd have any problem buying drugs in most secondary schools.

[Loosehead]

Perhaps but I don't think they will as it's government policy to have us all doped up the the eyeballs so we don't know what's going on. What better place to start than to get all the kids on skunk from an early age. Yes I think there is a drugs problem in schools just as there is everywhere. Nothing seems to tackle it. we need to think the unthinkable, to come up with more radical ideas.

[Reverandfunk]

Why don't we make possesion of small quantites legal I'm sure that will act as a deterrent - not. I see kids of 11 smoking draw which I think is shocking. My ex partners daughter was smoking at 14 (bought from a dealer at her school), I went to the school, headmaster not interested etc etc and within a year she had graduated to crack houses.

[Gromit]

This paragraph in the BBC report was revealling...

"Some local authorities have been concerned that a child might be falsely identified by sniffer dogs as carrying drugs because they have been contaminated by drugs in the home.

That's a good reason for not doing it then.

[kwicky]

I have noticed that the majority of criminal activity follows on from the publicity to stop it. ie. when mobile phones were being stolen from the children the publicity was tremendous and after this the practice soared. The same happened with car jacking. Now that the slaying in Virginia with all the massive publicity I await with apprehension copy cat shootings taking place.
If we are to up the ante and check all children with sniffer dogs maybe some children will believe it is rebellious and a way of achieveing notoriety by carrying and using drugs. Ask yourself why did children illegally start to smoke cigarettes.

[LeMarchand]

Ask yourself why did children illegally start to smoke cigarettes.

Probably because they see adults doing it.

As for being caught with drugs becoming a "badge of honour", it wouldn't happen if a harsh enough to deter punishment followed. Unfortunately you're probably right, as the authorities would be much more worried about why Little Johnnie was taking drugs and how he felt about it, possibly sending him on a holiday to try to help him recuperate, than punishing him.