Pubdate: Tue, 04 Apr 2006
Source: New Straits Times (Malaysia)
Copyright: 2006 NST Online
Contact:  http://www.nst.com.my/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3734
Author: R. Anbu
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

CATCHER IN THE EYE

Eye Scanners To Detect Student Drug Users

SHAH ALAM: This is an effort to look at the drug problem among
youngsters right in the eye.

Scanners with eye-test technology will be used to detect drug users
among students in secondary schools.

Deputy Education Minister Datuk Noh Omar said a pilot project would be
carried out at a secondary school in Kuala Lumpur next month to
determine its effectiveness.

He said a foreign company had recently demonstrated the technology
here and the Education Ministry was keen on obtaining the scanners if
the project was successful.

The statement came two days after Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri
Mohd Bakri Omar, in a police cadet anniversary message, said the
number of students caught for drug-related offences had quadrupled in
three years from 59 cases in 2003 to 225 cases last year.

Noh said the scanners, at RM2,000 each, were cost-effective, less
time-consuming, and allowed more people to be tested than the standard
urine tests now done.

For accuracy, however, drug users detected with the scanner will be
subjected to further urine tests for confirmation.

"The scanners will not only identify students under the influence of
drugs but also the types of drugs they are consuming. This will show
up in a graph," Noh said at a dinner organised by Pengasih, a
non-governmental organisation helping rehabilitated drug addicts.

"If a test shows a student is under the influence of drugs, he will
not be handed to the police but will be grouped with other students
similarly detected and they will be sent for counselling."

He said students indulged in drugs mainly outside school hours, under
pressure from their friends.

"The Education Ministry has come up with a module which will also
include co-curricular activities to rehabilitate the affected students
and they will be required to attend the sessions.

"The ministry is focusing on prevention and rehabilitation. I will
meet the heads of parent-teacher's associations to explain to them
that the ministry wants PTAs to set up anti-dadah bureaus to prevent
drug addiction among students.

"In the past, PTAs have focused on motivational talks and other
activities for students to excel in their studies, but now we want
them to play a role in preventing drug addiction in schools."
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MAP posted-by: Tom