Victorian schools swept up in drug epidemic as hundreds of children struggle with addiction
DRUG use is running rampant in Victorian schools, with students being caught using and dealing drugs in alarming numbers, police say.
Law & Order
Don't miss out on the headlines from Law & Order. Followed categories will be added to My News.
VICTORIAN students are being caught using and dealing drugs in alarming numbers.
Police have warned that drug use among young Victorians is out of control, saying hundreds — including primary school-aged children — are now struggling with addiction.
Statewide, police have been called in to investigate more than 450 drug offences on school grounds, or at school events, since January 2014.
PRIMARY SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN ON ICE
VICTORIA'S DRUG HOT SPOTS REVEALED
Teenagers have been caught with ketamine, LSD and ice, and drug-dealing charges have been laid in 78 cases.
Scores of school students have been suspended, or expelled, as a result of police drug investigations.
In some cases, sophisticated rackets have been uncovered.
And some children have landed in hospital after taking drugs on school camps.
Data released to the Herald Sun revealed 166 drug offences were investigated last year, up from 139 in 2014.
Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Rick Nugent said there was a growing culture of the acceptance of drug use.
“We know the harm of drugs is significant, and we constantly need to look at how we can do better,’’ he said.
“Kids aged 11, 12, 13 have been picked up with ice pipes on them,’’ Mr Nugent said.
Children have been found experimenting with dangerous new synthetic drugs.
Police are now seeing drugs such as cannabis being laced with dangerous chemicals, including fentanyl.
Schools in the Yarra Ranges and Casey recorded the most drug offences since 2014. They were followed by Gippsland, Bendigo and Knox.
Government and private schools were both involved.
Last year, illicit substances including ecstasy and ketamine were found at some school formals.
Police arrested a boy, 16, at an exclusive private boys’ school on the suspicion he was running a drug syndicate among the students.
Education Department spokesman Alex Munro said authorities were aware of the growing problem.
“Our schools are a reflection of our communities, and unfortunately, the problems that we see in our community sometimes affect our schools,’’ he said.
“The health and safety of our students is always our top priority and schools work hard to educate students on the dangers of drugs, and support those who become involved with drugs.’’
Some of the drug offences had been committed by older perpetrators, who were caught dealing and using within the school grounds.
However, most of the cases related to students.
Nationals MP Emma Kealy, the Opposition’s spokeswoman on mental health matters, accused the state government of having “lost control” of the fight against drugs.
But Mental Health Minister Martin Foley said the government was working to educate young people about the risks of drugs.
“We’ve increased funding to our drug treatment service for young people by almost $2 million per year,’’ Mr Foley said.
“No other government has invested more to support communities in tackling the impacts of ice and other drugs.”