Schools will be searched for traces of drugs and electronic cigarette sensors will be installed

Preventive programs operating in schools usually only remain preventive talks and similar activities, and when faced with real cases of drug use, usually no one and nothing can help neither the children who are involved in drug use, nor their mothers who are looking for help, who, because of such a situation, find themselves at the breaking point.

In Kėdainiai, the problem of the use of psychotropic substances by children and teenagers is urgently being solved by creating a new preventive program and preparing to examine traces of drugs in schools, and even more serious measures are being taken at Juoz Paukštelis pro-gymnasium – the installation of electronic cigarette sensors has already begun.

The numbers of dizzy children are growing like wildfire

It has been publicly announced several times that the number of children and teenagers who not only smoke electronic cigarettes, but also use psychotropic substances and alcohol is growing like yeast. There is no need to look far for examples, it is enough to remember the cases of this year, when a girl who smoked an electronic cigarette at Josvainiai Gymnasium had a heart attack and only thanks to a lucky chance and a teacher who was nearby, she is still alive today.

Or the case of J. Pauštelis pro-gymnasium, when at the end of May, a student who smoked an electronic cigarette was taken directly to the hospital from school. And this was not the first and only such case.

At that time, the government, seeing that the situation is getting out of hand and the problems cannot be controlled, creates new programs, throws money at them and hopes that this time it will really work and those programs will work.

“Kėdainiai fairs”/photo by Roland Valionis/Kėdainiai Juoz Paukštelis high school

Prepares a prevention program and prepares to test schools

As reported Kėdainiai district municipalitythe Kėdainiai Drug Control Commission, with the participation of school heads, school Child Welfare Commissions, the Education Assistance Service, health, police and other interested institutions, is already finishing preparing “Kėdainiai district municipalities 2024-2027 program for the reduction and prevention of the use of addictive substances” and calculates how much money will be needed for its implementation.

But will all schools really have the courage to do such testing and face the truth, when many of them refused drug tests half a year ago?

It is promised that all schools in the district will be tested for drugs. However, there is one but… In 2024, environmental testing for the determination of narcotic substance residues will include all schools in the Kėdainiai district that agree to such tests being performed at them.

But will all schools really have the courage to do such testing and face the truth, when many of them refused drug tests half a year ago?

Then the specialists of Kėdainiai Public Health Office (VSB) said: “The problem of drugs in schools has existed for many years, only school leaders are afraid to talk regarding it. This year and last year, they even refused to have drug tests conducted in their schools.”

It is said that the school tests will be financed from the funds of the public health support special program of the Kėdainiai district municipality.

It is planned to allocate 10 thousand for testing. Eur.

The price of testing the environment of each school is different and depends on the size of the school, the number of selected testing places, the problem, the price of the tests, the price of the service performed.

Such a project is a pilot project at J. Paukštelis pro-gymnasium, so it is not yet possible to say whether it will be implemented in other educational institutions as well.

Electronic cigarette sensors will be installed

It is most difficult to control the vaping of electronic cigarettes in schools, because, unlike “classic” cigarettes, these do not have the smell of tobacco and can have different flavors. In addition, as is known, teenagers are poisoned by such cigarettes, because psychotropic substances may be added to them.

The new preventive program prepared by the municipality stipulates that this problem will be solved by installing electronic cigarette sensors in educational institutions.

First of all, such sensors will be placed in J. Pauštelis pro-gymnasium. They will pay 13 thousand to the municipal budget. euros.

“Currently, public procurement has taken place for sensors that are designed to detect the use of electronic cigarettes. in 2023 October 25 A purchase and sale agreement was signed with Nano Sensorics UAB.

The total price of the contract is 13 thousand. EUR 489.08. 13 thousand The municipality of Kėdainiai district allocated EUR 489.08, the pro-gymnasium contributed EUR 489.08,” Vilma Dobrovolskienė, head of the Education Department, told “Rinka aikšte”.

According to her, 12 units will be installed in the premises of J. Paukšelis pro-gymnasium. sensors to detect the use of electronic cigarettes. At the moment, preparatory works for the installation of sensors are taking place in the high school. It is planned to complete the work by December 20.

If the expectations come true, the progymnasium plans to install 3-5 more sensors at its own expense.

Such a project is a pilot project at J. Paukštelis pro-gymnasium, so it is not yet possible to say whether it will be implemented in other educational institutions as well.

Calling for help

And while official programs are (not) working successfully, the number of children and teenagers vaping and using is growing, parents have to look for help and advice in various social network groups. The experiences, helplessness, uncertainty and disappointments described in them often make you cringe.

Here is one of the mother’s cries for help (presented language – uncorrected): “Hello mom, I’m writing because I don’t know what to do anymore… My teenager is a drug addict… he lies and says he doesn’t use, but he does… We visit psychologists, both he and I, we are visited by social workers, the child who had painful experiences in my life (me too), there were suicidal self-harms… The psychologist suggests taking medication and I’m afraid I won’t die if I mix it with my drugs. department because he’s not aggressive… I’m angry, sad and so sad… It seems like everyone is just talking regarding how to help, but in reality you won’t get any help… From this helplessness I start to think that I’m a bad mother.. And then the self-destruction mechanism starts and I start thinking that maybe it’s better to kill myself first than to see my child kill himself… What should I do, where should I go… And just do nothing, stay away, wait a couple more years, and then throw the child out of the house to live like this, and it’s almost as if he wouldn’t be there… (my terrible thoughts… But I don’t know what to do anymore )”.

So, won’t we get lost in the abundance of programs, when everyone will be responsible for everything, which usually means nobody for nothing, and in the end, won’t it happen that the money allocated for good purposes will never achieve those goals, and the problem will continue to deepen? ..