The greatest threat!

By Matthew Farley | Sun, January 15, 2012 - 12:00 AM

Drug misuse is not a disease; it is a decision, like the decision to step out in front of a moving car. – Philip K. Dick

January is Drug Awareness Month in Barbados. It is perhaps as good a time as any to express concern about the increased use and abuse of marijuana. Yolande Forde, the manager of the National Council on Substance Abuse (NCSA), used the occasion to underscore the point that there is an increase in the use of marijuana among school-age children. In spite of the efforts of a number of agencies to get the anti-drug message out to the public, marijuana use continues to increase and is being seen more within younger and younger age groups.

Speaking at a Press briefing to announce activities for Drug Awareness Month, Miss Forde said that research had shown that non-teenagers who used marijuana tended to be exposed to it in their homes.

According to her, it is for this reason that many marijuana users did not even know that it was illegal, because it was being used around them and was a part of the culture of the home or a part of the subculture of their neighbourhood.

As a parent and as an educator of close to four decades, this situation concerns me. Given the amount of money we spend on education and given the extent to which human resource development is at the core of our development strategy, such an investment remains at serious risk when increasing numbers of school-age children use marijuana on a regular basis.

From discussions with my colleagues at the secondary level, drugs are accessible in all schools across Barbados. In fact, a number of students often indicate that they had their first exposure to marijuana while still at the primary level.

It has been my experience that much of the aggression that leads to fights and other disruptive tendencies is often linked to marijuana use. While it is not always manifested as red eyes, students who use this drug very often carry masking agents, including oils, and use mints to hide the scent of the drug.

The best gauge of marijuana use among school-age children is the demonstration of an inordinately high level of aggression. This tends to surface without a trigger. A student who for no reason verbally or physically attacks another or offers physical violence to a teacher may raise suspicion about possible involvement in drug abuse.

Persistent lateness, failure to do homework, skipping classes, a sudden drop in academic effort and an overall attitude of defiance of and disrespect to authority figures are all signs of marijuana or other substance abuse.

It has also been my observation that while the use of marijuana may manifest itself while students are on the school compound, invariably the drug is accessed either at home or in their community.

A few years ago, a female student whom we discovered was using marijuana told her principal that she smokes a spliff every morning before leaving home. As the research suggests, there was clear evidence that her parents were aware and that there was general parental approval.

As a talk show host, I have done many a programme that focused on the vexed question of fighting the scourge of illegal drugs, including alcohol. One of the most startling comments I have ever heard was a call from a 75-year-old grandfather who suggested that there was absolutely nothing wrong with the use of marijuana, as he had been using it all his life with no dire consequence or adverse effects.

When the lobby for the legalization of marijuana emanates from influential persons in the community, including lawyers and politicians, we have a serious problem. While I support the call for parity in our condemnation of both alcohol and marijuana, the use of the latter by school-age children poses, in my view, the greatest threat to our society.

Our juvenile justice infrastructure is seriously deficient. The reality is that when a student tests positive for the use of marijuana, the most that the school can do is suspend him for a maximum of ten days. Counselling may also be recommended.

We, however, find ourselves in a bind, for often that habit continues and the child returns to school as there is no agency outside of the Edna Nicholls Centre to which he or she can be referred.

The reality is that the centre graduates students after repeated visits. This means that there are students in all of our schools, including primary schools, who are using marijuana on a regular basis, and there is precious little that schools can do to deal with the problem.

This is a sad commentary. We may bury our heads in the sand if we will, but in spite of the efforts of agencies which are involved in the anti-drug programme and various drug awareness programmes, we seem to be losing the battle against the abuse of marijuana among school-age children in Barbados.

In fact, while we talk about bullying, misbehaviour on the streets and on public transport and the lack of interest in education, the abuse of marijuana poses the greatest threat to the development of our human resources.

• Matthew D. Farley is a secondary school principal, chairman of the National Forum on Education, and social commentator. Email laceyprinci@yahoo.com