Pubdate: Thu, 08 Feb 2007
Source: Northern Star (IL Edu)
Copyright: 2007 Northern Star
Contact:  http://www.star.niu.edu/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2815
Author: Liz Stoever
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

DRUG TESTS NECESSARY IN HIGH SCHOOLS

Illegal drug use, whether it's underage drinking or  smoking
marijuana, has proved to be popular among many  students over the
years. According to the National  Institute on Drug Abuse, 36.5
percent of high school  seniors surveyed in 2006 had used an illicit
drug in  the past year. To most, the numbers are not surprising.  We
all remember the parties in high school and many  look forward to more
during college. Students fail to  see this as a problem. Since
drinking alcohol and  smoking marijuana have already become the norm
in many  high schools, something must be done before it gets  even
more out of control.

When programs like D.A.R.E. fail to prevent the use of  drugs among
students, what else is there to do? School  administrations have
decided to take a more direct  initiative to lower the outrageous statistics.

The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy  recently
announced they will promote random drug  testing among middle and high
school students who  participate in extracurricular activities. Now
the  government has grants available to encourage schools,  even those
with limited funding, to adopt the program.

When students are randomly chosen to take a drug test,  they are sent
to the nurse's office, where they can  take a urine, blood or saliva
sample. If the test is  positive, the school sends it to a lab to be
confirmed.  A positive drug test results in numerous punishments  that
vary by school. Most include a suspension of  extracurricular
activities, a phone call to their  parents and counseling.

With consequences like these, some people believe the  students will
stop participating in extracurricular  activities altogether. However,
when students decide to  quit activities just so they can do drugs,
schools will  deal with it by someday randomly drug testing all  students.

Drug testing is more likely to give students an excuse  not to do
drugs. More evident and immediate  consequences make students less
likely to fold under  peer pressure.

If random drug testing becomes popular among more  schools in the
U.S., it won't be surprising if NIU  adopts the same program. Like any
college, NIU is not  exactly a drug-free campus. Recently, the
Northern Star  reported that the lights at a dance in the Student
Holmes Center had to be left on due to the smell of  cannabis. It
seems almost obvious that sports teams  should drug test their members
if they are  representatives of NIU. Drug testing can also serve as  a
test of honesty and commitment.

If drug use is becoming an evident problem in a  particular school, it
makes sense to try and find the  students using drugs and helps them
fix their lives.  Where there are students who do drugs, there should
be  counselors and people to help them, and drug testing  will only
help schools find these students.

Regardless of any issues students may have with drug  testing, it
remains clear that drug testing is done to  benefit the students. It's
unfortunate that it had to  come to drug testing, but in today's
world, it is  necessary.

While random drug testing won't stop everyone from  doing drugs, it's
definitely a step in the right  direction.

To some students, the concept of random drug testing  makes them
cringe. What is it they are afraid of? The  disappointment of their
parents, or being kicked off of  an extra-curricular activity? Either
way, it's a  necessary last resort.
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MAP posted-by: Derek