Pubdate: Sat, 02 Sep 2006
Source: Hawke's Bay Today (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2006
Contact: http://www.hbtoday.co.nz/info/letters/
Website: http://hbtoday.co.nz/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2947

PRINCIPAL URGES ACTION OVER TEEN CANNABIS

The principal of Napier Boys' High School has called  for the wider 
community to take a grip of teenage  cannabis problems following the 
arrest of a man and his  son over an alleged cannabis-dealing 
operation among  pupils.

Ross Brown made the call yesterday after revealing his  was the 
school where a 16-year-old boy is alleged to  have dealt cannabis 
with fellow pupils.

"Young people cannot afford to be involved in  marijuana," Mr Brown 
said. "Schools have them just five  hours a day, but people know 
there are people using  marijuana in our community and must side-up 
alongside  schools and police to get rid of this problem.

"The school management has always had a strong stance  on issues of 
drug use and this has not changed.

"As community leaders we must play a responsible role  in protecting 
our young people and our response to this  incident simply 
illustrates our preparedness to do just  that."

Management at the school last week became aware of  cannabis use 
among some pupils outside school hours and  alerted police with 
information from "the wider school  community".

A search of a Napier South property on Wednesday  uncovered cannabis 
and cash allegedly linked to the  supply to the students.

A 45-year-old beneficiary is to appear in the Napier  District Court 
next Wednesday facing indictable charges  of possessing cannabis for 
supply, cultivating cannabis  and being a party to the sale of 
cannabis to people  under the age of 18. His 16-year-old son, a pupil 
at  the school and who had $1180 when his home was searched  - is 
being referred initially to Police Youth Services  with decisions 
pending on whether he will face the  charges in the Youth Court.

Mr Brown called on the community to help stamp-out the  use of 
cannabis and other illicit drugs by young  people.

"Cannabis has a seriously debilitating effect on their  learning," he 
said. "The wider community must take  clear steps to demonstrate that 
its use is  unacceptable. Our young people are our future, and we 
must all act with courage to ensure that they have  every opportunity 
to live and learn without the  presence of such negative factors."

He said the school would continue to be ensure young  people in 
Napier are safe and secure, and had every  opportunity to succeed.

"The community generally has to work alongside schools  and police, 
and anyone dealing with teenagers has got  an issue with marijuana," he said.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman