SYDNEY - A parent is calling for drug searches at school gates after three primary students swallowed suspected ecstasy tablets at a school south of Wollongong in New South Wales.
Two 10-year-old boys and an 11-year-old girl were taken to Shellharbour Hospital after swallowing the pills atWindang Public School yesterday afternoon.
The three were released last night and were today recovering at home with their parents.
Police said early indications were that the girl handed out the tablets to the boys in the belief that they were strawberry lollies.
The mother of an eight-year-old girl at the school, who identified herself only as Veronica, told Macquarie Radio that drugs were not a major problem in the Windang area.
But she said yesterday's incident highlighted the ever-present danger drugs posed to school students.
She called on police to work with schools to conduct drugs searches of students.
"What's got to happen is for the cops to be on the ball and start checking out these drug dealers who are supplying these kids," Veronica said.
"I think that ... all of the principals should be doing something about it at all schools, including high schools, to check their school bags, check their pockets to get a run on who's getting what from where and stop it."
Police recovered several tablets from the girl's bag and were today testing them to confirm they were ecstasy.
Acting Superintendent Shaun Gersbach said police had yet to speak to the three children.
"We have to be very delicate with it because they are very tender in age," he told Macquarie Radio.
Mr Gersbach said it was too early in the investigation to lay blame on the girl's family for her being in possession of suspected drugs.
However, police would pursue anyone found to have supplied the girl with the tablets, he said.
The Department of Community Services (DoCS) would be notified, he said.
