CHENNAI: Raising concerns over the easy availability of narcotic substances among schoolchildren, a five-gram packet of ganja was found in possession of a 16-year-old Class 11 boy at a government higher secondary school in Vyasarpadi on Monday. Probe is under way to ascertain how the student came into possession of the substance.
While the police have officially maintained that the boy had found the packet lying on the ground on his way to school, a police source told TNIE, “Teachers found the packet during a check and alerted the police. As we could not ascertain whether the boy had consumed the substance, we counselled his mother and sent him for rehabilitation. No case has been registered as no offence was established.”
When TNIE spoke to a student who was present during the surprise check, he said two teachers usually conduct the checks following complaints from parents and teachers on suspected drug use. On one such inspection, they found the packet concealed in the boy’s clothes, and he underwent police inquiry. The boy’s mother works as a domestic help and his father had passed away a few years ago.
When asked about the prevalence of drugs in the locality, particularly near educational institutions, police sources said, “The situation has improved compared to previous years. Special drives have been conducted and strict action has been taken against those selling drugs to students. But, a major concern is that tobacco products banned in TN are legally sold in neighbouring states, making enforcement difficult as small quantities are often brought in by individuals rather than organised networks.”
Meanwhile, experts stress the need to address the issue at individual, school and systemic levels. Emphasising early intervention, Vijaya Raghavan, Head of the Department of Youth Mental Health at Schizophrenia Research Foundation (SCARF), Chennai, said it is essential to provide psychoeducation to children about the harmful effects of substance abuse at an appropriate age. “At individual level, children must be educated about the negative impact of drugs at an appropriate developmental stage. Concerted efforts are needed to make schools drug-free,” he added.
It may be noted that when TNIE had earlier visited the higher secondary school following complaints of banned tobacco use, an unused toilet block was found strewn with empty tobacco packets. Though students said the toilet has since been sealed, they added that it has not curbed substance abuse on the campus.
Commenting on the issue, Tamil Nadu People’s Forum for Tobacco Control state convener Cyril Alexander alleged that tobacco or drug control has not been the health department’s priority. “In cases like this, the focus should be on safeguarding the child and identifying the sources supplying these substances to schoolchildren. Instead, there appears to be an attempt to brush the issue under the carpet rather than address it at its root. This is a consequence of the failure to effectively curb banned tobacco products,” he said, adding that it is even more dangerous if students manage to find a ganja packet lying on the road.
He stressed the need for state or national-level prevalence studies to assess the extent of the problem and develop robust rehabilitation mechanisms. “While rehabilitation systems are important, prevention remains the easiest and most effective approach,” he added.