June 7, 2002

Cambridge Reporter

A Waterloo Regional Police initiative against Cambridge high school druggies resulted in 13 students being charged for pot smoking in the first three days.

"I'd hope the schools are concerned about kids attending classes while under the influence of drugs or alcohol," said Sergeant Mike Allard, who heads the police/school liaison program in Cambridge.  "Look at the number of charges - and that's just in the first three days."

The arrests occurred off school property and involved students who were smoking marijuana between classes or during their break, he said.

Police nor school board officials would identify the schools that were involved.  A school-by-school breakdown may be available when the program ends, at the end of the school term, said Olaf Heinzel, police spokesman.

A similar program will be conducted by the Waterloo detachment in the near future, he said.

Undercover officers plan to operate in all five Cambridge high schools.  Heinzel said it's hoped the busts will teach students to think first before taking drugs.

"We want them to consider what it is they're ingesting," he said.

Students are smoking high-grade marijuana that's many times stronger than the weed that used to be available.

Much of it is grown hydroponically in local homes, the focus of close to 100 "homegrow" busts in the last two years in the region.