Just spray no to drugs.

Aerosol spray might soon be used in Richmond County schools to detect illegal drugs, according to a measure endorsed by a committee of school board members Tuesday.

The spray can turn a surface different colors depending on the type of drug present, Charles Griffiths, the program manager for Mistral Security, said during a presentation to the board.

The program is fully funded by the federal government and in the past seven years has grown to about 40 states and more than 1,000 schools, Mr. Griffiths said.

The spray isn't meant to be used on individuals, but instead it's meant to serve, in addition to what schools already do, as a deterrent, confirmation and an aid for parents, Mr. Griffiths said.

"What this means for schools is that it allows them to know what is happening within their schools without actually going through a student testing program," he said. "It also helps with the monitoring of schools without becoming invasive or without having students go through a very costly -- let's say, a urine testing program."

The spray could be used on a coat, for instance, to detect if drugs had been present, Mr. Griffiths said.

The information, not meant for punishment, could then be used to inform parents, he said.

Describing one of the program's success stories, Mr. Griffiths said a principal was suspicious of a student, so the student was asked to blow his nose into a tissue. The tissue was sprayed, and it turned purple, an indicator that heroin was present. The test was repeated for his mother.

"That kid is no longer on heroin," Mr. Griffiths said. "In fact, he has written papers now and works in drug rehab programs. He got his brother off heroin."

Because the program isn't punitive, parents are more likely to get involved, he said.

"Parents need to have some way to work with the school to have some way to help their kids other than just throwing them out," Mr. Griffiths said.

According to Mr. Griffiths' research, 81 percent of schools that have used the spray for two years said it's an effective deterrent.

Superintendent Dana Bedden supported the program, saying he would like to develop procedures and use the spray for information, investigation and intervention purposes.

Last school year, Richmond County had 81 incidents of drugs in its schools, according to an analysis of State Department of Education records by The Augusta Chronicle . A final vote on the spray will take place at the full school board's meeting Thursday.

Reach Greg Gelpi at (706) 828-3851 or greg.gelpi@augustachronicle.com.