(UPDATE on Dec. 10 with comment from Wellesley High principal Andrew Keough)
UPDATED on Dec. 10, 2012 with Police comment): Wellesley High School held an assembly this week during which assistant principal Jamie Chisum did most of the talking about rising marijuana use among students, based on disciplinary offenses. “The trend is concerning and we wanted the school community to be aware…we will continue to educate the students through our health curriculum on the dangers of drug use and are working with the Wellesley Youth Commission on other possible strategies for discouraging drug use,” the school says.
Wellesley Police so far this school year have been notified by staff at the high school on six occasions that students were found to be in possession of marijuana while on school premises. Each student was issued a town bylaw violation for possession of less than one ounce of marijuana. Officer Evan Rosenberg spoke with parents of those students and the students are required by the statute to complete a drug awareness program when under the age of 18.
“The consensus at school round table discussions is that we have seen an increase in students who have been found to have marijuana in their possession, but it is not clear if this translates to an increase in use or students being more open in their discussions about marijuana since it has been decriminalized,” according to Wellesley Police Sgt. Marie Cleary.
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