MFR INVESTIGATES: Highland Schools And Drugs

Highland Council's given MFR News an exclusive interview to defend its anti-drugs policy for schools. Cath King is in-charge of the council's drugs youth-awareness work, and other measures it takes to curb drugs in schools. We've put your MFR Facebook questions to the official - you can hear her answers in our special news programme below, in which we investigate the wider issue of allegations that there are drugs in our Highland schools. It comes after an alleged incident at an Inverness school. A 14 year old Millburn Academy schoolgirl was hospitalised after allegedly taking drugs offsite, although at the school gate, on Friday. MFR News' reports on this led to anonymous parents at the academy coming forward and speaking exclusively to MFR News about their concerns. The mums claimed their daughters had been offered drugs between six months and a year ago, inside the school. Highland Council and NHS Highland have jointly been to our studios to talk openly about the potential problem of drugs in the community, and the work that's being done to curb any potential affects. But the MP for Inverness, Danny Alexander, has chosen not to take part in our special news programme; refusing to give an interview on the issue. However, his office has forwarded us comments from Mr Alexander. You can read those on our website. AUDIO: MFR Reporter Bryan Rutherford presents an MFR News special programme putting your questions to Highland Council.

I do believe that when an issue arises it is properly investigated and reported to the police. Whilst on one level we'd like it to be dealt with, and we know it should be dealt with, if the evidence isn't really there and open, it's very difficult to take action.

Personally, I would be very concerned about our schools becoming like a police state. We have to be realistic about this. There is a very encouraging downward trend in pupils self-reporting experimenting with substances.

We don't want our schools to become like prisons. We want our young people to learn in a very positive environment. I don't think it's a problem in Highland Schools in that, it's not something that's rife and is being dealt with all the time.