The results of students' drug test should not be revealed to police unless the students agree, says Stephen Fisher, the retiring director of social welfare. Speaking on a RTHK radio program yesterday, Fisher said it should be up to students to decide whether to hand over their test results to the police.

"If students can decide whether to join the scheme but are not allowed to choose whether to have their results disclosed to the police, that means they don't have much choice at all. In such a circumstance, they may just turn down to the test," he said.

Fisher said he fears that the trial program will be less effective if only a few students agree to take part in it.

He held however that test results should be disclosed to principals and parents if students agree to take the school-based tests.

At a different event, Secretary for Food and Health York Chow Yat-ngok pledged to invest greater resources in the seven substance abuse clinics under the Hospital Authority if the drug testing pilot project reveals more young people are in need of treatment.

(HK Edition 08/14/2009 page1)