Armenia has proposed to restore the previously existing institution of “school inspectors” in connection with the spread of drugs among teenagers, former head of the department for the protection of the rights of minors and the fight against domestic violence of the Main Directorate of Criminal Investigation of the Police of Armenia, Colonel Nelli Duryan said, Report informs referring to Sputnik Armenia.
She noted that it is necessary to develop a strategic program to prevent the spread of drugs in the school. Only a vigilant approach can bring results: it is possible to protect minors from the use and sale of drugs by being more consistent both at home and in educational institutions, she added.
She reminded that 10 years ago a pilot program was implemented to introduce school inspectors, and candidates who could work with children were selected.
At the same time, when applying this method, one must be extremely careful so that it does not suddenly have the opposite effect, since such an example has already taken place in Armenia, she said.
“Several years ago, a public organization implemented a program in which they talked in detail about the types of drugs, how to use them, but the children became even more interested,” says the police colonel.
Earlier, Armenia’s Minister of Health Anahit Avanesyan stated in Parliament that the number of applications for drug addiction treatment in Armenia has increased. She noticed that access to drugs, especially among teenagers, is becoming easier due to the distribution of illicit drugs through social networks. Therefore, only drug treatment or police control is not enough for the fight: explanatory work is needed, especially in schools.