A student at Pionniers grammar school in Trois-Rivières has been suspended for two days after the seizure of 225 grams of magic mushrooms, a punishment some parents consider too lenient.
“It may seem short to some people, but you have to understand that the School Services Center is really supporting this young person, so to isolate him for two or three weeks, I’m not sure that’s a good solution,” explained the Director General of the Center de services scolaire Chemin-du-Roy, Luc Galvani.
Even if they are underage students, charges can still be brought against them. They vary depending on several factors.
“We are talking about the amount of narcotics that would have been seized and we are also talking about the youth’s luggage. Is it a young person who has already been criminalized for the same crimes? Such things will be taken into account by the prosecutor,” explained Trois-Rivières police spokesman Luc Mongrain.
The students are also closely monitored by psychoeducators and social workers after such events.
In Mauricie and Centre-du-Québec, 22 employees from Action Toxicomanie are deployed in schools to raise awareness among young people. They offer training for students as well as parents and teachers.
Not to mention a rise in drug use, it’s more of an accessibility that’s easier. According to testimony from young people who have met near a high school, all have confirmed that drugs are in circulation and many are being offered them without asking.
“With all the web platforms that are now available for young people, it’s just a few clicks to get it delivered to the door, so of course the relationship with the pusher is completely different. Previously, when we had to travel for the transaction, there were many high-risk areas,” explained Action Toxicomanie’s clinical coordinator, Audrey-Ann Lecours.
New tools like the Wax Pen, a vaporizer that contains THC, also make consumption easier. However, they are illegal and can lead to legal and irreversible health consequences.