Hāpai Te Hauora congratulate Toi Ohomai on compassion

Hāpai Te Hauora congratulate Toi Ohomai on compassionate approach to student drug testing policy

Hāpai Te Hauora a national public health organisation congratulates Rotorua based Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, for reconsidering their student drug testing policy.

Drug testing should not be a barrier for young people considering a career in the trade industry . Although Hāpai understands the need for drug testing for safety reasons, a compassionate approach is recommended , where any positive drug test results are followed up with offers of counselling and other appropriate supports to move students away from possible addiction, and into there chosen career pathway.

Lance Norman, CEO of Hāpai believes "that in the past many young Māori and Pacific interested in the trades have been turned away because of drug testing, when it could have been a far more positive outcome, ending in more trade qualified New Zealanders and an opportunity for a health intervention that would benefit that young person and their families future for life".

Hāpai looks forward to Toi Ohomai making their final decisions about next steps for drug-testing for trade students in 2018.

ENDS

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