KUALA LUMPUR, May 30 — Penang police are considering working with schools to conduct joint inspections of students’ belongings for vape products as authorities seek to prevent the devices, including those suspected of containing synthetic drugs, from reaching children.
According to the New Straits Times, state police chief Datuk Azizee Ismail said the proposal was discussed during a State Drug Eradication Action Council meeting chaired by Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow on April 6.
Azizee said police had not received any reports of drug-laced vape devices being used in schools but stressed that enforcement efforts were ongoing.
He said officers had been conducting operations as well as engagement programmes with local communities and officials from the state Education Department to raise awareness about the dangers of synthetic drug-laced vape products.
“To date, officers from the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department together with school liaison officers, have conducted 34 talks on the dangers of vape abuse among students,” he reportedly said to the national daily.
As part of the state’s crime prevention efforts, each school has been assigned two police officers tasked with strengthening disciplinary monitoring and crime prevention measures.
According to Azizee, the officers visit schools at least once every two weeks, deliver crime prevention briefings, assist with disciplinary matters, support urine screening programmes conducted by the National Anti-Drugs Agency and take part in inspections involving traffic offences and physical checks on students.
