They're taking up for algebra class. Teenagers need incentives to keep it clean.

A new federal report says drug use among secondary-school students rose again last year, including a near doubling in the total who smoke marijuana daily. While get tough advocates continue to lobby for stiffer penalties, supporters of prevention efforts emphasize the need for speedy treatment.

One emerging idea is to use drug tests as the basis for competitions that would recognize teens who stay clean. It is supposed to generate social pressure in schools to reward non-drug use instead of focusing on penalizing abuse. The schools would be scored, and the best records would get awards. The psychology is to emphasize group pride. But individuals could profit, too. In a Dallas program called D-FY-IT (Drug Free Youth in Texas), 10,000 students have taken drug tests voluntarily. Those who pass get cards with discounts of 10 to 50 per cent at 150 local businesses. Specialists are talking to firms about providing college scholarships for students at the cleanest schools.

At least two incentives are at work, experts believe: Students who are enticed by merchandise discounts and help with college might nudge fence-sitting friends away from drugs. Similarly, the threat of tests might help students fend off peer pressure to get high.

Costs and evil liberties concerns may hold back significant expansion of these pilot programs. It's not clear right now who would pay for the tests - not to mention the treatment and counseling that would be offered to those who failed.

The legal concerns about mandatory drug testing await a test case. A possible compromise might be mandatory but anonymous tests, which would provide schoolwide incentives without risking false accusations against individuals. Only more experiments will show whether incentives tied to drug tests can help turn the narcotics plague around. When you're losing a war no strategy should go untried.

Drug Abuse is Spreading Fast in Belarus as well.

In many countries of the world drug abuse has become a real problem that threatens people's health and stability within society. Unfortunately, Belarus is one of such countries. For several years drug abuse has been progressing. According to police statistics, the number of crimes committed by drug abusers has increased more than 12 times during the last 10 years. The amount of confiscated drugs has increased 23 times in the same time period. Drug abuse and illegal drug trafficking have a negative effect on law and order and the nations' health

Where do addicts get their drugs?

Drugs even the least expensive ones, are unaffordable to many. A great majority of drug abusers prefer to make their own drug of poppies and other plants containing narcotic substances. Consequently, illegal cultivation of such plants is becoming increasingly widespread. The spread of the illegal cultivation of opium poppies is especially menacing.

Illegal drug trafficking.

The import of illegal drugs to Belarus and the trafficking of drugs across its territory are also on rise.

Organized crime is also trying to establish control over the extremely lucrative illegal drugs market.

Along with Belarusian criminal gangs the illegal drugs business is also controlled by gangs from the Caucasus and Central Asia, from non-CIS countries are hot so active due to the small size of the Belarusian drugs market and customers' inability to afford expensive drugs.

Drug business: who is in control?

In general, the number of those wishing to enter the drug business in Belarus has increased. Many drug carriers are Belarusian citizens (mostly women). Sometimes they do it unknowingly. Belarusian citizens who carried significant amounts of drugs were arrested in Rome, Frankfurt, Barcelona, Buenos Aires and Istanbul.

Incidentally, women and teenagers are becoming increasingly involved in the drug business. Pensioners also pitch in.

Perspectives.

Experts unanimously believe that it was namely drug abuse that triggered to the spread of AIDS in Belarus.

The AIDS epidemic will continue to spread extremely fast if the country's leadership fails to allocate enough funds for the prevention and treatment of drug addiction. Belarus also lacks proper legislation to fight illegal drug traffickers.

But the increasing number of drug addicts and rapid growth of illegal trafficking business show that the measures taken in the state are not sufficient. Experts believe that issues related to drugs should be addressed not only by police measures but also effected in conjunction with medical, educational and cultural programs.

But lack of funds makes the stale ability to finance such programs extremely questionable.