'Kiddie coke' sold at school

Two teenage girls caught buying and selling prescription drugs at school are under investigation by police after friends reported them to a teacher.

A third teenager, who allegedly supplied the medication, may also be dealt with by youth aid.

The three students found themselves in hot water on Wednesday after a group of New Plymouth Girls' High School students heard of the amateur drug ring and told a teacher about it.

Girls' High principal Jenny Ellis said one of her year 9 students had reportedly been given three or four of the Ritalin-like tablets by a New Plymouth Boys' High student before school.

The students met at the Activity Centre, an alternative education centre for children with behavioural problems.

Mrs Ellis said the young female student brought the pills to school and sold them to another girl for around $3 or $4.

"We understand she was then going to pass that money on to the boy she got them from," Mrs Ellis said.

The tablets being passed around contained methylphenidate, a psychostimulant drug approved for the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Methylphenidate possesses similarities to amphetamines, although less potent, but its stimulant effects are more closely related to cocaine, leading to its British nickname "kiddie coke".

It is one of the top 10 stolen prescription drugs in the United States.

The two students at Girls' High both took some of the tablets, although one of the girls said she later spat hers out.

When staff found out they took the remaining pills to a chemist to identify them and called the girls' parents, and then police.

Mrs Ellis said while they were hardly dealing with a mass of "hard core" drugs, the school was still treating the matter very seriously.

She believed it was a one-off incident, carried out by naive and silly girls who didn't understand the consequences of their actions.

However, the girl who sold the drugs was suspended, and the buyer stood down. Suspension is the more serious punishment.

The Boys' High student is still being investigated by his school.

New Plymouth police said yesterday they had referred the matter to youth aid.

The incident follows a case earlier this year when a Hawera couple were caught selling their sons' Ritalin medication to their neighbours. The couple, Myra and Roger White, will appear for sentencing on July 15.

- © Fairfax NZ News