Oz school kids offered drug disguised as lollies

Melbourne, May 10 : Parents in Australia have been warned that their school-going kids are being offered the drug ice disguised as lollies.

Rozelle Public School in Sydney's inner-west has sent a note to kids' home to caution the parents that their children could be approached and given crystal methamphetamine in chocolate, strawberry and peanut flavour.

Written in the school newsletter, the cautionary note says that the substance "looks like a crunchy sweet".

"A child in Leichhardt may have been offered such a substance recently. Please emphasis the child protection strategy with your children. Talk with your children about saying no and going and telling someone immediately," The Daily Telegraph quoted the note, as saying.

One of the parents, on conditions of anonymity revealed that the warning had greatly concerned the school community.

A spokesman for the Department of Education and Training said last night a "concerned and responsible Rozelle Public parent advised the school they heard a child (not a Rozelle student) was offered chocolate that may have been tainted with drugs".

He added: "Rozelle Public is proactive about stranger-danger and has policies and procedures in place to educate students and the community. The school decided to include the story as a warning for the school community."

Australia is fighting an ice epidemic, and this is supported by statistical evidence which sows that 170,400 people aged 14 and older used methamphetamines in NSW in just one year.

According to a report almost one in 10 Australians older than 14 were found to have tried methamphetamines - including speed and ice - and 1.5 million Australians had used the drug.

Three children at a South Coast primary school were taken to hospital in October last year, after they appeared to have taken ecstasy at lunchtime after mistaking them for strawberry lollies.

However, data collected by the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research shows that drug incidents in schools are falling. However, serious incident reports obtained by The Daily Telegraph under Freedom of Information have uncovered many concerns.

ANI