BEIRUT — In addition to their political, economic and living conditions, Lebanese parents have another concern: the spread of drugs in schools. This issue emerged when a message circulated via WhatsApp in mid-January 2015 stated that there is a new type of drugs in schools called “Strawberry Quik,” which looks like strawberry-flavored sweets. The news, which caused panic among parents and alarmed schools and security agencies, was soon determined to be false. There are still many rumors about the significant spread of drugs in schools and the high rate of abuse among teenagers. But how accurate are they?

Al-Monitor looked into this issue on the security level with the Anti-Drug Bureau of the Internal Security Forces (ISF), on the educational level with Secretary General of Catholic Schools Father Botros Azar and on the social level with Joseph Hawat, the president of one of the most prominent associations in this field since 1981, Jeunesse Anti Drogue (JAD). The conclusion: Drugs are present in Lebanese schools, but are not as prevalent as rumors suggest.

“I do not deny that we have a problem, but portraying schools as infested with drugs is unacceptable,” said Azar, noting that certain schools have some drug abuse cases, but it is inappropriate and inaccurate to generalize.

This opinion was shared by Capt. Ahmed Sati, an officer of the ISF's Central Bureau Drug Repression Bureau, who said that the problem exists but is not cause for alarm. He noted that the bureau has not been notified of any cases of drug promotion and trafficking within schools since 2010. However, some cases of drug abuse (involving marijuana and Benzhexol pills) were recorded among youths between the ages of 16 and 18. The reasons behind drug abuse among teenagers, he said, can be curiosity, fear of appearing shy or weak or mistaking the pills for “brain-enhancing supplements.”