Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law introducing tests for students that will determine if they use drugs or psychotropic substances.
The federal law On Changes to Specific Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation on Issues Relating to the Prevention of Illegal (Non-Medical) Consumption of Drugs and Psychotropic Substances was passed by the State Duma on May 15 and approved by the Federation Council on May 29, the Kremlin reported on its website.
The document amends the legislation by introducing a system for early detection of the use by students of secondary and vocational schools of narcotic substances and psychotropic substances without a doctor’s prescription.
The law also outlines the powers of the federal and local authorities in the prevention of illegal drug consumption, including the powers to establish procedures and administer socio-psychological tests and preventive evaluations of students for early detection of drug abuse.
According to earlier reports, the law provides that teenagers younger than 15 will be tested with the consent of their parents and teenagers who are older than 15 can give their own consent to such tests.
The purpose of drug tests on students is to located risk groups and provide timely medical and psychological assistance.
Russian Deputy Education and Science Minister Alexander Klimov, who represented the bill at the State Duma meeting, said the socio-psychological evaluations will be conducted in the form of conversations and tests.
“Doctors will conduct these tests using modern technologies,” he said, pointing out that the results of the tests will be confidential by law. “It will be strictly controlled,” he said.
Source: www.rbth.ru 8th June 2013