YOU NEED TO TAKE A DRUG TEST

Drug testing has become a fact of life for many kids in schools----and for many job applicants and employees of companies choosing to maintain a drug-free workforce and environment.

Drug testing in schools has been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court which voted in 2002 to allow suspicionless drug tests for all middle and high school students participating in competitive extracurricular activities. These activities are considered a privilege, and students must adhere to school policies if they wish to participate in them. In a 2002 Supreme Court case (Board of Education of Independent School District 92 of Pottawatomie County v. Earls, 536 U.S. 822, 825), the majority stated that: “….all students who participate in competitive extracurricular activities (are required ) to submit to drug testing.”

Advantages of Drug Testing in Schools

There are many advantages to drug testing---for schools and for students. The benefits to schools are obvious---reducing student drug use keeps schools safer and more orderly. Kids who take drugs are more likely to be involved in bad behavior---from bringing knives and guns to school, assaulting other students, and disrupting the school environment.

Benefits of Drug Testing in Schools

What are the benefits to students? Many kids support drug testing because it gives kids a good reason to say "no" to drugs. Also, ensuring a safe school environment is an outcome of drug testing, making it easier for all students to learn and develop their potential.

It also provides a means for drug-taking students to get help---and get off drugs. If a kid tests positive for drugs, schools are advised to make parents aware of the situation and encourage them to get help for their son or daughter. Sometimes a student is referred to a professional substance-abuse counselor who works to keep that kid off drugs.

Drug testing is a deterrent for students' drug use and it can help kids who are thinking of experimenting with drugs to reject them.

Some people think about interfering with a drug test by using substances to adulterate urine, dilute samples or other methods to distort results. According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy "most of these masking products do not work, cost a lot of money, and are almost always easily identified in the testing process. But even if the specific drug is successfully masked, the product itself can be easily detected, in which case the student using it would become an obvious candidate for additional screening and attention."

Marijuana remains in a user's system for a period of time after it is used, and drug tests will confirm marijuana use days, and sometimes weeks later.

Drug testing has become an essential part of collegiate sports as well as businesses to ensure that teams and workforces are safe and healthy. It's hard to be part of a team or organization where everyone's not pulling equal weight.