Troubled Teens Resources

Teens at risk for drug abuse, those teens who have not strayed too far over the line, those at the brink of temptation - those are the teens that some professionals insist will benefit most from random drug testing in school.

Of all the methods of teen crisis intervention being employed by schools across the country, this one raises the most controversy, with experts weighing in on both sides. As usual, parents are likely to get short shift in this debate as public schools and the government continue to usurp parental authority.

“I think that what is being presented is seductive,” says Sharon Levy, director of the Adolescent Substance Abuse Program at Children’s Hospital Boston. However, she believes the ONDCP overstates the effectiveness of drug testing, and she is not alone. A 2005 survey of 359 US physicians specialising in paediatric, adolescent and family medicine, found that 80 per cent disagreed or strongly disagreed with the ONDCP’s recommendation that all adolescent students be tested for drugs. John Knight, also of Children’s Hospital Boston, says there are only two peer-reviewed articles. “One showed essentially no correlation between testing and drug use rates, the other showed a slight decline,” he says.”

(Source)

Proponents of random drug testing claim it gives the at-risk teen added support for “saying no”. Some experts report improved grades and attendance for those schools implementing tests.

With more reports stating that “the evidence in favour of drug testing was “remarkably thin”, and that it may be “potentially damaging” to efforts to tackle drug abuse…”, it would seem that the over riding concern for parents may be the implication for civil and parental rights. A parent should retain the right to decide if they wish their minor tested.