RIYADH — Schoolchildren will not undergo any drug tests because they will cost the Anti-Drugs Directorate and the Ministry of Education too much money, according to a senior official at the directorate. The directorate needs to conduct an exhaustive study on the pros and cons of such tests before it takes a decision, said Abdulilah Al-Sharif, undersecretary for drug prevention. “We already have a national program in place to educate students about the dangers of drugs,” he said. The Ministry of Education said it is highly unlikely that it will run any drug tests on students this year, according to its spokesman Muhammad Al-Dakhini. “We don't see any need for running these tests on students and teachers because drug abuse is not rampant among Saudis, who are raised in a religious environment.” Earlier, the directorate released a study that said individuals in their teens are most likely to abuse drugs. The study based its findings on information gathered from drug addicts at Al-Amal hospitals all over the Kingdom. The results showed that most drug users were school and college students. The study urged parents to keep a close watch on their teenage children.
