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Dozens of children caught with drugs in class
10:55am Saturday 5th July 2008
School children have been caught with the dangerous horse tranquilliser ketamine, The Argus can reveal.
Cocaine and cannabis have also been seized from classrooms across Sussex.
Last night drugs charities warned youngsters they were dicing with death by taking the illegal substances.
And the mother of Sam Nolan, 22, who died of a heroin overdose in January after taking up cannabis as a teenager, warned children to stay away from addictive drugs.
Latest figures obtained by The Argus under the Freedom of Information Act show drugs were seized on 117 occasions from September 2005 to December 2007.
Twice cocaine was found and once teachers discovered ketamine, an anaesthetic which depresses the nervous system and causes halucinations and a temporary loss of bodyily sensation.
In every other case the drug was cannabis.
Harry Shapiro, director of communications for DrugScope, said: "Young people need to know about the risks involved with drugs.
"If you are stoned or high, like being drunk, you could do something you will regret later or have an accident and harm yourself.
"There are also long term problems. Your health will deteriorate, relationships with family and friends could suffer, and it could affect your work."
A spokesman for Addaction. Britain's largest drug and alcohol charity, said spokesman said: "The 'just say no' message historically hasn't worked.
"One of the things we find works is peer mentoring, rather than having someone stand up and talk to students.
People are more likely to listen to a 17-year-old than somebody who is their parent's age."
Four of the children were prosecuted for their drug use and 16 were warned for possessing cannabis.
The remaining 97 people were given police cautions.
Carol Nolan, of Hove, said: "Drugs can be devastating. Sam started off taking cannabis and it may seem harmless at the time because so many people use it.
"Ketamine and cocaine are horrendous drugs. People who take them are risking their lives.
"These drugs are dangerous in their own right but can lead to even harder drugs, like heroin.
"Schoolchildren are far too young to be experimenting with drugs and it could mess up the rest of their lives.
"Drug use also has devastating consequences of the user's families.
"My advice is don't be tempted to try it."
Are the penalties for possession of drugs tough enough? Have your say below.
Your Say YourArgus
bored, brighton says...
12:45pm Sat 5 Jul 08
sniffer dog, funtown says...
1:41pm Sat 5 Jul 08
jimmy, england says...
2:44pm Sat 5 Jul 08
FRANKIE, TX says...
2:57pm Sat 5 Jul 08
stephen, brighton says...
4:00pm Sat 5 Jul 08
Police should be going after dealers AND users.
Dave B.dave, brighton says...
5:23pm Sat 5 Jul 08
A concerned mother, Surrey says...
5:42pm Sat 5 Jul 08
When will drugs be legalised?
Then drugs can be licensed, age limits could be applied, people would be able to get the drugs they want, instead of being introduced to harder drugs.
The Dutch have found that less children are using cannabis since it has been legal.
stephen, seven dials says...
5:52pm Sat 5 Jul 08
A concerned mother wrote:The Dutch also have a huge problem with heroin! So no, a relaxed attitude on dope is not a good idea.
When will people realise that prohibition is the real problem, we are throwing our children at criminals whose only motive is profit!! When will drugs be legalised? Then drugs can be licensed, age limits could be applied, people would be able to get the drugs they want, instead of being introduced to harder drugs. The Dutch have found that less children are using cannabis since it has been legal.
m, says...
9:55pm Sat 5 Jul 08
Louie, Brighton says...
12:10am Sun 6 Jul 08
"50% off thousands of lines"
Best let the kids know then, eh? How many lines in a gram?
Dave, Brighton says...
10:10am Sun 6 Jul 08
Roscoe P Coltrane, Ringmer says...
10:39am Sun 6 Jul 08
Dave wrote:I think you are missing the point aren't you? Drugs ruin everyones lives', and the young don't need their lives ruining. Idiot.
'dangerous Horse Tranquiliser' - Actually Ketamine is a widely used anaesthetic for operations on humans, don't fall for the urban myths so easily please Argus. Yes, it's used for horses and other animals but anyone whose had minor surgery may not have realised they are a 'ket-head' too. :)
mary, hove says...
11:39am Sun 6 Jul 08
Joan, Brighton says...
8:20pm Sun 6 Jul 08
mary wrote:I see Trainers hanging over a line in the Heinz salad cream advert, now Iknow the underlying message, scary.
Drugs are the root cause of most of our social ills, when are the police going to wake up to this and start a zero tolerance stance before its too late. Knife crime has not hit this city yet, but with a continued soft stance this will inevitably happen, so all in authority act now please. We know you know where these drugs are coming from and who is supplying them, passing hove lagoon skate park today there are trainers hanging on overhead lines, a sure sign of drug dealing, but we are all to be reassured because there is a cctv huh.
Susie, Hove says...
8:21pm Sun 6 Jul 08
Jez, Whitehawk says...
8:29pm Sun 6 Jul 08
Stalker, Peckham says...
8:30pm Sun 6 Jul 08
Mal, Hastings says...
8:33pm Sun 6 Jul 08
fluted carrots, hove says...
4:07am Mon 7 Jul 08
mary wrote:hehe
Drugs are the root cause of most of our social ills, when are the police going to wake up to this and start a zero tolerance stance before its too late. Knife crime has not hit this city yet, but with a continued soft stance this will inevitably happen, so all in authority act now please. We know you know where these drugs are coming from and who is supplying them, passing hove lagoon skate park today there are trainers hanging on overhead lines, a sure sign of drug dealing, but we are all to be reassured because there is a cctv huh.
Trainers over a line doesnt mean drug dealing here.
It means the local idiot is now barefoot! or that some muppet has chucked some shoes over a line!
It might of been the case once,somewhere else many years ago,but even the most half witted drug dealer isnt gonna be that blatant,they dont need to do stupid stuff like that to sell in this city!
Gino, Portslade says...
8:54am Mon 7 Jul 08
john, says...
10:13am Mon 7 Jul 08
bored wrote:Good point. Also, what is the description of a child- anyone under 18! It would be worrying if the drugs were in possession of someone under 16 and alarming if they were under 12 but, come off it, 16 plus is really not so bad. Also it is not true that people WILL suffer mental and physical illness, only that they may. Smoking any amount of tobacco ALWAYS leads to ill health and premature death and moderate drinking DOES lead to death and injury to thousands every year. Let`s try and get these `drug` problems in perspective PLEASE!
Surely the first line should be "a child" as a pose to "school children" bein found with Ketamin! only 1 between 2005 & 2007. I think thats pretty good.
Cork, Ireland says...
4:09pm Mon 7 Jul 08
lets try and educate everyone on ALL drugs and stop this misconception of cannabis leading to herion
"Sam Nolan, 22, who died of a heroin overdose in January after taking up cannabis as a teenager"
IF anything, it is being in the hands of criminals that leads people onto harder drugs, not the drug itself!
X, brighton says...
6:41pm Wed 9 Jul 08
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Bill, Brighton says...
11:07am Sat 5 Jul 08