Police in London have launched a study to find out the effects of a controversial "softly, softly" cannabis policy on young children.
The pilot scheme, introduced in Lambeth, south London by Commander Brian Paddick last year, sees those in possession of the drug warned instead of arrested, which frees up police time.
Lambeth's new police commander Brian Moore, who replaced Commander Paddick after he was moved to a desk job at Scotland Yard, said all schools in the borough were being surveyed.
"Some opinion formers have raised concerns that more children of the nine and 10-year-old level are taking cannabis than before the pilot - that they are not going to school and if they do go to school they are suffering from the effects of that," Mr Moore said.
Lambeth's 66 primary and 10 secondary schools are currently being asked whether they have excluded more children for cannabis since the pilot scheme began and whether more cannabis and drug paraphernalia has been found.
"The feedback is very clear so far that there has been no escalation, which I think is a re-assuring response to some of the concerns." But he said there were also concerns about when children were not in school and about those already excluded.
Now Mr Moore has asked for 25 experts, including educationalists, teachers, youth workers and drugs workers to look at the scheme. They will examine whether there is any evidence of the pilot affecting the health of children.
PA