Screening at schools will not curb rehab numbers, says centre director

DRUG screening programmes in schools will do little to curb the number of teenagers ending up in rehab, the director of the country’s only adolescent treatment centre said yesterday.

However, efforts to ensure help is available for teenagers, by referring them to a counsellor, is an exciting proposition, director of the Aislinn Adolescent Treatment Service, Sr Veronica Mangan, said yesterday.

Last year, the Kilkenny centre treated 151 addicts aged 15 to 21 who had developed problems because of their abuse of drugs and alcohol.