"last year, schools stood down 1184 pupils for drugs, suspended 815, and expelled 30. Education Ministry statistics dating back to 2006 show rates of standdowns and expulsions for drugs have increased but suspensions have decreased.
In September we commented on reports that children as young as six were taking drugs to school, some defended themselves by saying they were for "show and tell" but it's likely that many of the children were being used by their parents to deliver and collect drugs.
Police used drug sniffer dogs in 12 schools in Greater Wellington in the past eight months in an attempt to halt the trend.
One Wairarapa school, which police would not name, has flushed out eight pupils in the past three months with drugs on them at school."
In June 2008 police told TVNZ that children taking and dealing drugs in school wasn't a "new issue" after 5 nine year old boys were caught smoking cannabis at Owhata primary school in Rotorua and that this sort of thing had been going on for 20 years.
At around the same time a quantity of cannabis was seized at Longford Intermediate school in Gore, and Westlake Boys School in Auckland asked 12 students to leave after a dealing ring was uncovered.
Then in July of this year 10 students from Lindisfarne College, Hastings were expelled and another seven suspended after another cannabis dealing ring was busted.
It's indicative that cannabis use amongst school children is a problem throughout New Zealand, the country has highest rate of cannabis use in the OECD and the third highest Amphetamine use.
NZ police say that most cannabis tinnie houses were selling-points for methamphetamine as well and that drugs and crime are well linked:
"Cannabis and meth come hand in hand now and there is a real link between drugs, stolen property, firearms and gangs."
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