Parents warned about drug-laced sweets in schools
The Laboratory and Standardisation Department at the Ministry of Environment has launched an intensive inspection of outlets possibly selling drug-laced sweets.
The move follows complaints from parents that a strawberry-flavoured ‘drug-laced sweet’ is being widely circulated among schoolchildren.
A sample test at the laboratory has found the presence of narcotic substances in the sweet, an Arabic daily has reported.
Parents are also campaigning on social media against the alleged circulation of the sweet at schools.
“Parents must warn their school-going children against consuming strawberry-flavoured sweets laced with drugs,” one parent commented in a post on social media.
The issue came to authorities’ notice after a mother found her child hyperactive after school hours. She quizzed him and found a few strawberry-coloured “sweets’ in his school bag.
She called the ministry and officials asked her to come with the stuff recovered from the bag. A test found the sweet contained ‘narcotic elements’ harmful for human health.
“Further inquiries revealed that the child got the sweet from a student in the school. The school administration was asked to monitor the movements of this student. After confirming his role in distributing the sweet, school authorities took action against him”, the daily quoted a top official at the ministry as saying.
Dr Saif Al Kuwari, Assistant Undersecretary at the department, said some narcotic elements had been detected in samples brought by the parent.
“But we are not sure whether it is the same stuff that is being allegedly circulated among students of the same school or in other schools”.
He asked all schools and parents to make sure their children do not consume any kind of food from outside the cafeteria. Parents were also advised to monitor their children’s behaviour after school hours. Schools have also been put on alert.
Inspection continues especially in supermarkets and eateries in the neighbourhood of schools and residential areas.
“We haven’t found any of the outlets selling the dangerous stuff in question. But we will continue inspection,” the daily quoted a top official as saying.
That boy should be thrown out from the school at-once.
After that his parents should be informed about it.
What is required at this period is the constant and close monitoring of school going children. who knows how long this has been ongoing. Good the vigilant mother had observed her child and quickly informed the authorities, if not, this would'nt have been detected and so many kids would have fell victims, some of them would have been aware of what they are consuming and most may not. I believe the authorities will catch up with those manufacturing these substances and all be brought to book.
Not good news! Parents should get to know their child's friends by taking them to and from after-school activities, games, the library and movies (while being sensitive to their need to feel independent);
Also,get to know the parents of one's child’s friends. Exchange phone numbers and addresses. Agree to forbid each others’ children from consuming alcohol, tobacco and other drugs and pledge that they will inform each other if one of them becomes aware of a child who does so.
Only constant monitoring on the parent's part will work up the issue.Since this is the issue of our budding future generation.
Students are now working as drug dealers?
That's horrible. Parents must stop giving their children pocket money if they are using it to buy drugs.
Search to his parents home is required or not at this situation ?
Sat , 15.03.2014 , 09.12 hrs ...
OMG..
now they are targeting small kids :(
It's serious .... needs constant watch .....
Parents should buy the eatables for their kids .... discourage them from buying themselves at schools ...
Sat , 15.03.2014 , 09.09 hrs ...