School staff are trained to detect student drug abuse

Following a large demand from various schools around the county to receive training in drug signs and how to deal with suspicions of drug use, the county administrative board, the police and the Kronoberg region organized a training effort for school staff around the county.

- Both we and the police have received a lot of contacts from schools and others about the need for more competence and education around specific drug signs. Then we saw this as a chance to organize a large effort that many in the county can take part in, says Anna Ståhl, ANDT coordinator (alcohol, drugs, doping and tobacco) at the County Administrative Board in Kronoberg.

She holds the lectures, where the police also participate. So far, 1000 people have participated.

- The perception of how dangerous drugs are has changed among young people, you see that they do not think it is as dangerous anymore, says Anna Ståhl.

The Central Association for Alcohol and Drug Information is of the same opinion. According to their survey of school students' drug habits in 2018, 26 percent of nine and 39 percent of high school students responded that they were offered the opportunity to try or buy drugs. Many also think that they could procure cannabis within 24 hours if they so desired. It reveals not only the attitude to drugs but also its accessibility, the union says.

The training will, among other things, prepare school staff about drug awareness, new drugs, different signs of whether a youth uses drugs and how to go about drug suspicion.

"Drug signs can be, for example, changed attitude, high absenteeism, misbehaving school and hygiene, and exchanging friends," says Nina Bergström, police inspector in Växjö.