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The Ministry of Education is working on a national plan for drug testing in schools and universities.

The Romanian Ministry of Education wants drug testing in schools. How will this be done: "To ensure that children understand the implications"

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Materiały Prasowe,
16.04.2024 18:14

The Ministry of Education is working on a national plan for drug testing in schools and universities.

An agreement will be necessary, says Ligia Deca, from major students or from the parents of minors, but it must be clearly established who will perform and interpret the tests.

Meanwhile, a recent survey conducted by the Prefecture of Bucharest shows that 60% of students over 18 agree to undergo saliva and subsequently blood tests if there is suspicion.

A few months ago, a child under 10 ended up in the hospital with hallucinations from marijuana. On the other hand, the age of injectable drug users has dropped to 13. The situation has finally prompted officials from the Ministry of Education to take action.

Ligia Deca, Minister of Education: "National testing programs are being discussed and the decision, the schedule, will depend on when the national plan is finalized. Testing involves a series of prerequisites, including medical issues, it requires an agreement from the major student or family, and that is why it is also discussed from the point of view of where it can take place".

One option would be the school's own clinic, ready to provide privacy and comfort to the person targeted. More problematic is establishing a qualified person to collect biological samples and operate the equipment.

In such a test, which costs around 90 lei, reports show that 10% of results are false positives and 9% false negatives. In addition, marijuana use, for example, is no longer detected more than an hour after consumption.

Therefore, the pupil or student found positive for one of the 8 psychotropic substances listed in the test manual should be further subjected to blood tests. This involves a new agreement from the major-aged student or their parents.

"Life is so beautiful and you can have fun without using drugs"

Experience from other countries shows us that the introduction of drug testing has not had significant results. Ten European states allow this intervention. In Finland and the Czech Republic, the school can notify law enforcement, and in case of emergency, the child can be tested without the consent of legal representatives.

In Ireland, the United Kingdom, Slovakia and Sweden, sporadic testing occurs, with parental consent being mandatory. On the other side of the Atlantic, the majority of American states implement mass or survey-based testing in schools and universities experiencing high rates of violence. Persistent refusal to provide biological samples leads to sanctions for the individual involved or their legal guardians, particularly if they are minors.

It is true that, in other countries, prevention is the first line of attack. Which in our case is more on paper. A former convicted drug trafficker, a consumer since high school, says that information should be provided from the early years of school.

"As a child, it's important to fully grasp the consequences. This topic should not be approached superficially or simply swept under the rug. Life is so beautiful and you can have fun in so many ways, without using drugs".

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