Sniffer dogs in Canada will be taking a back seat in the coming months. The Supreme Court of Canada ruled 6-3 to tighten the leash on use of the canines for public sweeps, siding with a high-school student and a Vancouver man who both said they were searched illegally.

"In both cases, police violated the charter right against unreasonable search and seizure by allowing their dogs to embark on general sniff searches of a school and bus depot without more concrete reasons to suspect drugs were present, the Supreme Court said." [Source: Canwest News Service]

Sniffer dogs will likely still be used in airports and along the border, Canwest reported, two areas that werent addressed in the Supreme Courts ruling.

Labels: laws, canada, privacy

Posted By: Aspen/CRC 0 Comments

Parents have a new, unique, and controversial weapon to help them monitor - and possibly prevent - drug use among their kids: an at-home drug test that analyzes a strand of the child's hair.

"Stores like Discount Drug Mart sell the drug testing kit for $59.99 and they've already been successful selling urine test kits... [Paul] Coleman [CEO of Maryhaven, a private nonprofit comprehensive healthcare facility that treats people with alcohol and drug dependencies] said there can be a delicate balance of trust within a household - bond that can be broken if not approached correctly."

At-home drug tests should be a last resort, and should be used only if the family is already working with a licensed counselor. And ultimately, Coleman says, no test can take the place of open communication and parent who trusts his instincts. Source: NBC4i (Columbus, OH)

Labels: privacy, drug_testing

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 1 Comment

"An ounce of prevention beats a pound of cure" the old saying goes. But when dealing with teen drug and alcohol use, what exactly is an "ounce of prevention"? According to one columnist, it equates to a little parental nosiness.

"As more families trend toward everybody leading separate lives, it's become easier for children to lead secret lives. Research consistently indicates and alarming disconnect between parental perceptions of their children's drinking and drugging behavior, and the hidden underside of their children's lives."

Not only parents, but grandparents can get more involved in the lives of adolescents. Ask questions, spend time together, and find out as much as possible about who their friends are and what they do together. Read more at TheWorldLink.com.

Labels: parents, privacy, communication

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments