SCHOOL DRUG ARRESTS LEAD TO NEW SUSPECTS

There are illegal drugs in our schools, but they don't originate in hallways, locker rooms or even chemistry labs.

So it was heartening last week to see that Alamance County law-enforcement agencies didn't end their investigation of drug dealing by high school students with February's arrests of 50 teenagers.

Officers have been following the drug trail all along.  Their efforts produced new charges against more than 30 people, some of whom allegedly had supplied the drugs to the students arrested in February.

The undercover operations in Alamance County high schools, carried out by youthful-looking officers posing as students, shocked the community.  Many people were surprised by the apparent easy availability of drugs on school campuses and also by some of the individuals charged.  Their numbers included one of the nation's best high school basketball players and many other youngsters who never had been in trouble before.

But authorities, fully supported by school officials, launched the investigation in order to stem a growing problem.  Drugs figure into 40 percent or more of crimes reported on high school campuses across the state and contribute substantially to poor student behavior and academic failure.  Although this enforcement action took place in Alamance County, the lesson had wider application.  Results probably would be no different in any other North Carolina school system.

One criticism of the Alamance County operation was that it seemed to target students -- arguably at the lowest level of the drug distribution system -- while letting larger dealers get away.  But detectives actually were drawing information from students about their suppliers.  By last week, authorities were ready to start reeling in the bigger fish.

Most of the students arrested in February already have gone to court and received suspended sentences.  They made mistakes but now have the chance to straighten out their lives.  Without intervention, they could have been headed for more serious trouble.

Some of the individuals arrested last week may need to be dealt with more severely.  Students who sell drugs to their peers must be put out of business, but older people who supply drugs to teenagers are a greater menace.

This ambitious undertaking by Alamance County's law-enforcement agencies showed that drugs in the county's high schools won't be tolerated.  More importantly, authorities signaled that they're willing to trace these drugs up the line of supply.  We hope that effort continues and the individuals charged last week provide information that will lead to even more arrests.

Drugs don't originate in school, and they shouldn't end up there, either.