Drug Testing in Schools

Drug Testing in Schools

“[W]e find that testing students

who participate in extracurricular

activities is a reasonably

effective means of addressing

the School District’s legitimate

concerns in preventing, deterring,

and detecting drug use.”

Justice Clarence Thomas

U.S. Supreme Court

JUNE 27, 2002

Board of Education of Independent School

District No. 92 of Pottawatomie County v. Earls

Foreword

In June 2002, the U.S. Supreme Court broadened the authority of

public schools to test students for illegal drugs. Voting 5 to 4, the

Court ruled to allow random drug tests for all middle and high

school students participating in ccompetitive extracurricular activities.

The ruling greatly expands the scope of school drug testing, which

previously had been allowed only for student athletes.

There are those, of course, who will represent

the Court’s decision as a blow against privacy

and a victory for “Big Brother.” These concerns

are largely unfounded, however, and to

focus on them is to ignore the enormous

potential benefits of drug testing. Already,

testing has been shown to be extremely effective

at reducing drug use in schools and businesses

all over the country. As a deterrent, few

methods work bbetter or deliver clearer results.

Drug testing of airline pilots and school bus

drivers, for example, has made our skies and

roads safer for travel.

Parents, educators—indeed, anyone concerned about the welfare of

our young people—should welcome the High Court’s action. It’s a

big step in tthe right direction, for it gives every school in every city

and every town a powerful new tool for controlling one of the worst

threats facing kids today.

The ruling could not have come at a better time. Monitoring the

Future, a national survey that tracks drug use among America’s

D R U G T E S T I N G I N S C H O O L S i

John P. Walters

youth, reports that in 2001 more than half of all students had used

illicit drugs by the time they finished high school.Moreover, the

2000 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse revealed that of the

4.5 million people age 12 and older who need drug treatment, 23

percent are teenagers.

This failure to protect our children from drug use aand addiction is

unacceptable.We cannot responsibly withhold tools as effective as

drug testing from communities that believe such measures are

appropriate and will save young lives.

Research shows that people who make it through their teenage years

without using drugs are much less likely to start using them when

they are older. So if testing can help keep kids off drugs and alcohol,

if it can help free young minds for learning and allow growing bodies

to escape the devastating cycle of dependence or addiction, it

will be a vvaluable and important new tool.

Experience has taught us that people at the local level often know

best how to deal with drug problems in their communities. But to

combat this insidious threat, they need good information and the

best resources available. The Supreme Court’s ruling will help

schools meet these needs. This is good news for students, parents,

and teachers. And it is good news for America.

John P.Walters

Director

Office of National Drug Control Policy

D R U G T E S T I N G I N S C H O O L S ii

1 D R U G T E S T I N G I N S C H O O L S

Introduction

Should Schools Test Children For Illegal Drugs?

It is an important question, and ultimately one best left to parents,

teachers, and school administrators. There is no single right

or wrong answer, no “one size fits all” solution. A decision in June

2002 by the U.S. Supreme Court expands the authority of public

schools to test students for drugs. Still, it is up to individual communities

and schools to decide if drugs are a significant threat,

and if testing is an appropriate response.

The question of whether to test students for drugs or alcohol

should never be taken lightly. It involves myriad complex iissues

that must be fully understood and carefully weighed before testing

begins. The Office of National Drug Control Policy has put

together What You Need

To Know About Drug

Testing in Schools to shed

light and offer perspective

on this multifaceted

and sometimes controversial

topic. Our aim is

to provide anyone who is

considering a drug-testing program in his or her community with

a broad understanding of the issue and solid, up-to-date information

on which to base a decision.

Included in this booklet are answers to questions that students,

parents, school officials, and other concerned individuals might

have about the process. It explains, generally, what drug testing is

all about, who pays for it, who does the testing, what it tells you

about an individual’s drug use, and, equally important, what it

does not tell you. The booklet describes what services should be in

place for communities to deal effectively with students who test

positive for drugs, and it also offers case histories (pages 3 and 12)

showing how several schools used testing to address their drug

problems. Their experiences may help others determine whether

testing is right for their communities.

It is up to communities and schools to

decide if drugs are a significant threat,

and if testing is an appropriate response.

D R U G T E S T I N G I N S C HH O O L S 2

What Did the Court Rule?

In the case of the Board of Education of Independent School

District No. 92 of Pottawatomie County et al. v. Earls et al., the U.S.

Supreme Court upheld a drug-testing program for students involved

in competitive extracurricular activities. Although the ruling allows

schools to test greater numbers of students for drugs, it is not a blanket

endorsement of drug testing for all students. Before implementing

a drug-testing program, schools should engage legal counsel

familiar with the law regarding student drug testing.

Why Drug-Test Students?

Thanks to advances in medical technology, researchers are now

able to capture pictures of the human brain under the influence

of drugs. As these images clearly show, the pleasurable sensations

produced by some drugs are due to actual physical changes in the

brain. Many of these changes are long-lasting, and some are irreversible.

Scientists have recently discovered that the brain is not

fully developed in early childhood, as was once believed, but is in

fact still growing even in adolescence.

Introducing chemical changes in the

brain through the use of illegal drugs

can therefore have far more serious

adverse effects on adolescents than on

adults.

Even so-called soft drugs can take a heavy toll. Marijuana’s

effects, for example, are not confined to the “high”; the drug can

also cause serious problems

with memory and learning, as well as

difficulty in thinking and problem solving. Use of methamphetamine

or Ecstasy (MDMA) may cause long-lasting damage to brain

areas that are critical for thought and memory. In animal studies,

researchers found that four days of exposure to Ecstasy caused

damage that persisted for as long as six or seven years. Kids on

drugs cannot perform as well in school as their drug-free peers of

equal ability. So if testing reduces students’ use of illicit drugs, it

will remove a significant barrier tto academic achievement.

Drug Testing: An Overview

If testing can reduce students’

use of illicit drugs, it will

remove a significant barrier

to academic achievement.

D R U G T E S T I N G I N S C H O O L S 3

Case History

A Reward for Staying Clean

Autauga County School System

In rural Autauga County, Alabama, students have a special incentive to

stay off drugs. As part of a voluntary drug-testing program, participating students

who test negative for drugs in random screenings receive discounts

and other perks ffrom scores of area businesses.

Community leaders and school officials, prompted by a growing concern

about the use of drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes among students,

launched the program in 2000 with the help of a local drug-free coalition

called Peers Are Staying Straight (PASS). ““Our community was awakening to

the fact that we needed to do something,” says PASS Executive Director

Martha Ellis.

The Independent Decision program began with just the 7th grade but

will expand each year to include all grade levels. In the 2001–2002 school

year, more than half of all 7th and 8th graders at public and private schools

participated.

To enter the program, kids take a urine test for nicotine, cocaine,

amphetamines, opiates, PCP, and marijuana. Those who test negative get a

picture ID that entitles them to special deals at more than 55 participating

restaurants and stores. Students keep the ID as long as they test negative

in twice-yearly random drug tests.

Those who test positive (there have been only three) must relinquish

their cards and any special privileges. The school counselor nnotifies the parents

and, if appropriate, offers advice about where to find help. At that

point, the matter is strictly in the parents’ hands. If the child tests negative

in a subsequent random test, his or her card is returned. “Our whole purpose,”

says Ellis, “is to reward kids who stay clean and help them see the

benefits of a drug-free lifestyle.”

Surveys taken by PRIDE (the National Parents’ Resource Institute for

Drug Education) before the program began and again in 2002 showed significant

reductions in drug use aamong Autauga County’s 8th graders: from

35.9 percent to 24.4 percent for nicotine, 39.9 percent to 30 percent for

alcohol, and 18.5 percent to 11.8 percent for marijuana.

For more information about Autauga’s Independent Decision program,

call (334) 358–4900.

D R U G T E S T I N G I N S C H O O L S 4

Substance abuse should be recognized for what it is—a major

health issue—and dealt with accordingly. Like vision and hearing

tests, drug testing can alert parents to potential problems that

continued drug use might cause, such as liver or lung damage,

memory impairment, addiction, overdose, even death. Once the

drug problem has been identified, intervention and then treatment,

if appropriate, can begin.

Testing can also be an effective way to prevent drug use. The

expectation that they may be randomly tested is enough to make

some students stop using drugs—or never start in the first place.

That kind of deterrence has been demonstrated many times

over in the American workplace. Employees in many national

security and safety-sensitive positions—airline pilots, commercial

truck drivers, school bus drivers, to name a few—are subject to

pre-employment and random drug tests to ensure public safety.

Employers who have followed the Federal model have seen a 67-

percent drop in positive drug

tests. Along with significant

declines in absenteeism, accidents,

and healthcare ccosts,

they’ve also experienced dramatic

increases in worker productivity.

While some students resist the idea of drug testing, many

endorse it. For one thing, it gives them a good excuse to say “no”

to drugs. Peer pressure among young people can be a powerful

and persuasive force. Knowing they may have to submit to a drug

test can help kids overcome the pressure to take drugs by giving

them a convenient “out.” This could serve them well in years to

come: Students represent the workforce of tomorrow, and eventually

many will need to pass a drug test to get a job.

It is important to understand that the goal of school-based

drug testing is not to punish students who use drugs. Although

consequences for illegal drug use should be part of any testing

program—suspension from an athletic activity or revoked parking

privileges, for example—the primary purpose is to deter use

and guide those who test positive into counseling or treatment. In

addition, drug testing in schools should never be undertaken as a

stand-alone response to the drug problem. Rather, it should be

one component of a broader program designed to reduce students’

use of illegal drugs.

The expectation that they may be

randomly tested is enough to make

some students stop using drugs—or

never start in the first place.

What Are the Benefits of Drug TTesting?

Drug use can quickly turn to dependence and addiction, trapping

users in a vicious cycle that destroys families and ruins lives. Students

who use drugs or alcohol are statistically more likely to drop out of

school than their peers who don’t. Dropouts, in turn, are more likely

to be unemployed, to depend on the welfare system, and to commit

crimes. If drug testing deters drug use,

everyone benefits—students, their families,

their schools, and their communities.

Drug and alcohol abuse not only interferes

with a student’s ability to learn, it

also disrupts the orderly environment

necessary for all students to succeed.

Studies have shown that students who use

drugs are more likely to bring guns and

knives to school, and that the more marijuana

a student smokes, the greater the

chances he or she will be involved in physical

attacks, property destruction, stealing,

and cutting classes. Just as parents and

students can expect schools to offer protection

from violence, racism, and other forms of abuse, so do

they have the right to expect a learning environment free from the

influence of illegal drugs.

What Are the Risks?

Schools should proceed with caution before testing students

for drugs. Screenings are not 100 percent accurate, so every positive

screen should be followed by a laboratory-based confirming

test. Before going ahead with tests, schools should also have a

good idea of precisely

what drugs their students are using. Testing

for just one set of illegal drugs when others pose an equal or

greater threat would do little to address a school’s drug problem.

Confidentiality is a major concern with students and their parents.

Schools have a responsibility to respect students’ privacy, so

it is vital that only the people who need to know the test results

see them—parents and school administrators, for example. The

results should not be shared with anyone else, not even teachers.

D R U G T EE S T I N G I N S C H O O L S 5

D R U G T E S T I N G I N S C H O O L S 6

Developing a Testing Program

What Should You Do Before You Begin Testing?

The decision of whether to implement a drug-testing program

should not be left to one individual, or even to a school board. It

should involve the entire community. In fact, by making the effort

to include everyone, a sschool can greatly increase its chances of

adopting a successful testing program.

It is not enough to have a general sense that student drug testing

sounds like a good idea. Schools must first determine whether

there is a real need for testing. Such a nneed can be determined

from student drug-use surveys, reports by teachers and other

school staff about student drug use, reports about drug use from

parents and others in the community, and from discoveries of

drug paraphernalia or drug residue at school.

If student drug use is found

to be a significant problem,

schools will want to consult

early in their deliberations with

an attorney familiar with laws

regarding student drug testing.

They should seek the advice of

drug prevention and treatment

professionals, and also contact

officials at schools that already have drug-testing programs to

learn what works and what doesn’t.

Schools considering testing will want plenty of public input.

They should bring together members of the board of education,

school administrators and staff, parents, community leaders, local

healthcare agencies, local businesses, students, and anyone else

who has an interest in rreducing student drug use—even those

who are against the idea. Listening to opponents and including

their views can strengthen the testing program and improve its

chances of success.

Schools considering testing

will want plenty of public input,

bringing together anyone who

has an interest in reducing

student drug use.

What Are the Elements of a Drug-Testing Program?

Many workplaces have had

drug-testing programs in

place for years, and recently

some school districts have

implemented programs for

testing their athletes.

Successful programs typically

share a number of common

elements, beginning with a

clear written policy. Parents

and teachers sign a statement ddeclaring that they understand the

policy, which is announced at least 90 days before testing begins. An

effective policy addresses questions such as:

. Which students can be tested for drug use?

. What is the process for selecting students for testing?

. Who will conduct the test?

. What are the consequences of a positive drug test?

. Are steps clearly articulated for helping students who test positive for

drugs?

. Will a second confirming test be done?

. Who pays for the test?

. Will subsequent positive tests result in suspension or expulsion from

extracurricular activities?

. Are test results cumulative throughout a student’s tenure at the

school, or is the slate wiped clean each year?

. What happens if a student refuses to take the test? Will refusal be

construed as a drug-positive test?

. Who will see the test results, and how will confidentiality be maintained?

. How will parents be informed about positive test results?

. How does a student contest the results of a positive test result? And

what mechanism is in place for students whose prescription medication

triggers a positive reading?

D R U G T E S T I N G I N S C H O O L S 7

What Kinds of Tests Are Available?

Urinalysis, the most common drug testing method, has been

studied eexhaustively and used extensively, has undergone rigorous

challenge in the courts, and has proved to be accurate and reliable.

As a result, urinalysis currently is the only technique

approved for drug testing in the Federal workforce. Some employers,

however, have already begun using other types of drug tests—

on hair, sweat, and oral fluids. Each of these new tests has benefits

as well as drawbacks. The chart on page 9 outlines some of the

pros and cons.

What Does Each Test Measure?

Drug tests are used to determine whether a person has used

alcohol or illegal drugs. Some tests show recent use only, while

others indicate use over a longer period. Each type of test has different

applications and is used to detect a specific drug or group

of drugs. The Federal Drug-Free Workplace program, which

serves as a model for accuracy and quality assurance in drug testing,

relies on a urine test designed to detect the use of marijuana,

opiates, cocaine, amphetamines, and phencyclidine (PCP). Urine

tests can also be used to detect alcohol, LSD, and cotenine, the

major metabolite of nicotine.

Following are summaries of the most commonly used tests:

Urine

Results of a urine test show the presence or absence of specific

drugs or drug metabolites in the urine.Metabolites are drug

residues that remain in the system for some time aafter the effects

of the drug have worn off. A positive urine test does not necessarily

mean the subject was under the influence of drugs at the time

of the test. Rather, it detects and measures use of a particular drug

within the previous few days.

Hair

Analysis of hair may provide a much longer “testing window” for

the presence of drugs and drug metabolites, giving a more complete

drug-use history that goes back as far as 90 days. Like urine

testing, hair testing does not provide evidence of current impairment,

only past use of a specific drug. Hair testing cannot be used

to detect alcohol.

D R U G T E S T I N G I N S C H O O L S 8

D R U G T E S T I N G I N S C H O O L S 9

Pros Cons Window of Detection

Urine • Highest assurance of reliable results.

• Least expensive.

• Most flexibility in testing different drugs, including

alcohol and nicotine.

• Most likely of all drug-testing methods to withstand

legal challenge.

• Typically 1 to 5 days.

Hair • Longer window of detection.

• Greater stability (does not deteriorate).

• Can measure chronic drug use.

• Convenient shipping and storage (no need to

refrigerate).

• Collection procedure not considered invasive

or embarrassing.

• More difficult

to adulterate than urine.

• Detects alcohol/cocaine combination use.

• More expensive.

• Test usually limited to basic 5-drug panel.

• Cannot detect alcohol use.

• Will not detect very recent drug use

(1 to 7 days prior to test).

• Depends on the length of

hair in the sample. Hair

grows about a half-inch per

month, so a 1½-inch

specimen would show a

3-month history.

Oral Fluids • Sample obtained under direct observation.

• Minimal risk of tampering.

• Non-invasive.

• Samples can be collected easily in virtually any

environment.

• Can detect alcohol use.

• Reflects recent ddrug use.

• Drugs and drug metabolites do not remain

in oral fluids as long as they do in urine.

• Less efficient than other testing methods

in detecting marijuana use.

• Approximately 10 to 24

hours.

Sweat Patch • Non-invasive.

• Variable removal date (generally 1 to 7 days).

• Quick application and removal.

• Longer window of detection than urine.

• No sample substitution possible.

• Limited number of labs able to process results.

• People with skin eruptions, excessive hair,

or cuts and abrasions cannot wear the patch.

• Passive exposure to ddrugs may contaminate

patch and affect results.

• Patch retains evidence of

drug use for at least 7 days,

and can detect even low

levels of drugs 2 to 5 hours

after last use.

Type of Test

• Specimen can be adulterated, substituted,

or diluted.

• Limited window of detection.

• TTest sometimes viewed as invasive or

embarrassing.

• Biological hazard for specimen handling

and shipping to lab.

Pros and Cons of the Various Drug Testing Methods

Sweat Patch

Another type of drug test consists of a skin patch that measures

drugs and drug metabolites in perspiration. The patch, which

looks like a large adhesive bandage, is applied to the skin and

worn for some length of time. A gas-permeable membrane on the

patch protects the tested area from dirt and other contaminants.

The sweat patch is sometimes used in the criminal justice system

to monitor drug use by parolees and probationers, but so far it

has not been widely used in workplaces or schools.

Oral Fluids

Traces of drugs, drug metabolites, and alcohol can be detected in

oral fluids, the generic term for saliva and other mmaterial collected

from the mouth. Oral fluids are easy to collect—a swab of the

inner cheek is the most common way. They are harder to adulterate

or substitute, and collection is less invasive than with urine or

hair testing. Because drugs and drug metabolites do not remain in

oral fluids as long as they do in urine, this method shows more

promise in determining current use and impairment.

Breath Alcohol

Unlike urine tests, breath-alcohol tests do detect and measure current

alcohol levels. The subject blows into a breath-alcohol test

device, aand the results are given as a number, known as the Blood

Alcohol Concentration, which shows the level of alcohol in the

blood at the time the test was taken. In the U.S. Department of

Transportation regulations, an alcohol level of 0.04 is high enough

to stop someone from performing a safety-sensitive task for that day.

What Do Drug Tests NOT Measure?

The five-drug urine test used in the Federal Drug-Free

Workplace Program does not detect all drugs used by young people.

For example, it does not detect so-called “club” drugs such as

gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB) and Ecstasy, for example,

although other urine tests can determine use of these drugs, and

hair tests can easily detect Ecstasy use. No standard test, however,

can detect inhalant abuse, a problem that can have serious, even

fatal, consequences. (Inhalant abuse refers to the deliberate inhalation

or sniffing of common household products—gasoline, correction

fluid, felt-tip markers, spray paint, air freshener, and cooking

spray, to name a few—with the purpose of “getting high.”)

D R U G T E S T I N G I N S C H O O L S 10

What Can Students Expect?

Drug testing is commonly a four-step process: collection,

screening, confirmation, and review.When called in to take a drug

test, the student is met by a trained “collector,” or ttest administrator,

who gives instructions and receives the specimen. It is also the

collector’s job to complete the chain-of-custody form, which

keeps track of where the specimen has been and who has handled

it throughout the process. The form ensures that the specimen

was handled properly and in such a way that does not call its

source or the test results into question.

If the student is providing a urine sample,

a temperature strip is put on the collection

container to guard against a substitute

sample. A tamper-evident tape is put over

the specimen container, and then the student

is asked to initial it and verify the

chain-of-custody form.

Next, the specimen is screened for drugs

or drug metabolites. If the screening test is

positive, the test will be confirmed by a second,

more exacting test. All confirmed positive

tests should then be reviewed by a physician

or nurse with knowledge of substanceabuse

disorders to rule out legitimate prescription

drug use.

Some specimens are screened at the collection site, and the initial

results are known within minutes; others are screened at a laboratory.

All negative screens—those that show no drugs or drug

metabolites—are eliminated from further consideration.

Specimens that test positive for drugs in the initial screen are

examined further in the laboratory through a second analytic

technique called gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

(GC/MS), which is actually a combination of ttwo specialized techniques.

Technicians use gas chromatography to separate the various

substances in the specimen, then they make a positive identification

through mass spectrometry.

D R U G T E S T I N G I N S C H O O L S 11

Administering the Test

D R U G T E S T I N G I N S C H O O L S 12

Case History

Testing Made the Difference

Hunterdon Central Regional High School

Teachers and administrators at Hunterdon Central Regional High School in

Flemington, New Jersey, were alarmed. A survey taken during the 1996–1997

school year revealed that 45 percent of the school’s 2,500 students had smoked

marijuana, 70 percent were drinking alcohol, and 13 percent of all seniors had

used cocaine. More than 10 percent of the student population had used hallucinogens,

and 38 percent of seniors reported that heroin was readily available to them.

“Our drug problem was probably no worse than that of other high schools,”

says Principal Lisa Brady. “But for us, this was just unacceptable.”

In September 1997, Hunterdon began a random drug-testing program for all

student athletes. Urine was tested for marijuana, cocaine, heroin/codeine,

amphetamine/methamphetamine, PCP, steroids, and alcohol. If a student tested

positive, the school notified the parents and set up a meeting with the student, his

or

her parents, and a school counselor to discuss treatment options. The student

attended a mandatory 4-week drug education course and was suspended from

athletic activity until a subsequent test showed the drug use had stopped.

“We had one of the best random testing implementations in the country,” says

Brady. “It was working well.” Indeed, a survey in 1999 showed that drug use at

Hunterdon had declined in 20 of 28 key categories. For example, cocaine use

among seniors had dropped from 13 percent to 4 percent, aaccording to the survey.

In another encouraging finding, the number of 10th graders reporting little or

no use of drugs or alcohol increased from 41.8 percent to 47.3 percent.

Brady credits drug testing for the decline. “It was the only variable in the equation,”

she says. “Nothing else had changed.” Hunterdon expanded its testing program

in February 2000 to include students participating in any extracurricular

activity. Even kids who wanted to act in school plays or obtain a parking permit

could be called in to take a ddrug test. Eventually, problems with adulterated urine

samples prompted school officials to give up urine testing and start testing oral

fluids.

In September 2000, however, the school suspended all random testing when

the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit in New Jersey state ccourt on

behalf of students who claimed their Fourth Amendment rights were violated.

(The suit is still pending.) Since the school halted testing, Brady has seen what she

believes to be clear evidence that drug use at Hunterdon has begun to rise.

“There’s no question it’s gotten worse,” she says.

Before drug testing began at Hunterdon, many people in the community resisted

the idea, explains Brady. “Now parents are demanding that we test their kids.”

Alcohol-specific tests may be performed entirely at the collection

location if appropriate breath-alcohol testing equipment and

procedures are used. Some oral fluid tests can also be used to

obtain an immediate initial test result, with the positive screen

going on to a laboratory for confirmation.

A positive test result does not automatically mean the student

uses illegal drugs. IIn fact, positive results are sometimes triggered

by other, legal substances. Certain over-the-counter medications,

for example, can cause a positive reading for amphetamines. So

when the GC/MS confirmation test

comes back positive, it is important

for a doctor, nurse, or other specialist

to review the results and determine if

illicit drugs are indeed the culprit.

In the Federal Drug-Free

Workplace Program, a medical review

officer is required to go over positive test results with the donor

and determine if there could be a legitimate explanation.

Everything is done confidentially, and safeguards are iin place to

make sure workers are not falsely labeled drug users when their

positive test results are found to have a legitimate cause.

Schools should also take care that a student’s confidentiality

and privacy are not violated, and that students who test positive

because they are taking prescription medications are not wrongly

branded as drug users. It bears repeating that the purpose of drug

testing is to keep students from using drugs, and to help or refer

to treatment those who may be drug dependent.

What Happens If the Test Is Positive?

Results of a positive drug test should not be used merely to

punish a student. Drug and alcohol use can lead to addiction, and

punishment alone may not necessarily halt this progression.

However, the road to addiction can be blocked by timely intervention

and appropriate treatment.

When a positive test result has been reviewed and confirmed

for illegal drug use, the school’s crucial next step is to contact the

parents and help them stop their child’s drug use. Parents play a

key role in drug-abuse prevention, so they need lots of guidance

and support. They also need to know that anger, accusations, and

harsh punishment could make the situation worse. The best

D R U G T E S T I N G I N S C H OO O L S 13

The purpose of drug testing

is to keep students from

using drugs, and to help

those who may be drug

dependent.

approach for parents is usually to stay firm and to treat their child

with respect as they work together as a family to change his or her

behavior.

After involving the parents, school officials may refer the student

to a trained substance-abuse counselor, who can perform a

drug assessment and determine whether the child needs treatment

or other specialized help. For young people who use drugs occasionally,

a few words from the counselor or parents—coupled

with the prospect of future drug tests—may be enough to put an

end to the drug use. For frequent users or those in danger of

becoming drug dependent, treatment will likely be necessary.

Many schools require drug-positive students to enroll in a

drug education course or activity. Some also offer Student

Assistance Programs, whose trained counselors are linked to

resources in the greater community and can help students cope

with a variety of problems, including substance abuse. In any case,

the school will want to perform follow-up drug tests on students

with positive results to make sure they stay drug free.

Can Students “Beat” the Tests?

Many drug-using students are aware of techniques that supposedly

detoxify their systems or mask their drug use. Some drink

large aamounts of water just before the test to dilute their urine;

others add salt, bleach, or vinegar to their sample. In some cases,

users call on their drug-free friends to leave bottles of clean urine

in the bathroom stalls.

Popular magazines and Internet sites give advice on how to

dilute urine samples, and there are even companies that sell clean

urine or products designed to distort test results. A number of

techniques and products are focused on urine tests for marijuana,

but masking products increasingly are becoming available for tests

of hair, oral fluids, and multiple drugs.

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 detected, in which case the student using it

would become an obvious candidate for additional screening and

attention.

D R U G T E S T I N G I N S C H O O L S 14

Who Does the Testing?

Laboratories all over the country perform drug tests, but not all

of them produce consistently accurate and reliable results. Many

schools choose labs from among those certified by the Substance

Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to

perform urine testing for Federal agencies. A

list of SAMHSA-certified

labs is available on the

Internet at http://workplace.samhsa.

gov/ResourceCenter/lablist.htm.

Before deciding on a laboratory,

schools should carefully assess

the drug problem in their community.

The standard Federal workplace

test screens for the presence

of marijuana, cocaine, opiates, amphetamines, and PCP. But if a

school faces a significant threat from Ecstasy, methamphetamine,

ketamine, GHB, or some other drug, administrators will need to be

sure that any laboratory they are considering is also capable of testing

for these drugs.

How Much Do Drug Tests Cost?

The price of drug testing varies according to the ttype of test and

the drugs involved, but generally the cost is between $10 and $30 per

test, with hair testing somewhat higher. The price for onsite alcohol

tests usually ranges from $1 to $10 per test.

Some schools have paid for drug tests through Federal grants

from SAMHSA or the U. S. Department of Education’s Safe and

Drug-Free Schools Program. Others get money for testing from private

foundations.When school-based programs begin to expand,

testing providers will likely start offering volume price incentives.

D R U G T E SS T I N G I N S C H O O L S 15

Before deciding on a laboratory,

school officials should carefully

assess the drug problem in their

community.

Again, the aim of drug testing is not to trap and punish students

who use ddrugs. It is, in fact, counterproductive simply to

punish them without trying to alter their behavior. If drug-using

students are suspended or expelled without any attempt to change

their ways, the community will be faced with drug-using

dropouts, an even bigger problem in the long run. The purpose of

testing, then, is to prevent drug dependence and to help drugdependent

students become drug free.

Before implementing a drug-testing program, parents and

communities must make sure appropriate resources are in place

to deal with students who test positive. For example, substanceabuse

specialists should be available to determine the nature and

extent of the drug use, and there should be comprehensive treatment

services for students with potentially serious drug problems.

Schools need to educate parents about exactly what the drug tests

are measuring and what to ddo if their child tests positive. It is vital

for parents to know that resources are available to help them

gauge the extent of their child’s drug use and, if necessary, find

drug treatment.

For those who worry about the “Big Brother” dimension of

drug testing, it is worth pointing out that test results are generally

required by law to remain confidential, and in no case are they

turned over to the police.

D R U G T E S T I N G I N S C HH O O L S 16

Conclusion & Literature

For Guidance and Facts About Drug Testing

The Web site for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

provides information about testing technologies, products, and services.

www.drugfreeworkplace.gov

SAMHSA’s list of certified laboratories is updated every month.

http://workplace.samhsa.gov/ResourceCenter/lablist.htm

The College of American Pathologists has a Web site offering information about choosing a lab.

www.cap.org/lap/fudt.html

Substance Abuse Information and Treatment Referrals

SAMHSA’s National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information provides referrals and resource

materials about substance abuse prevention and treatment.

English: 1-800-729-6686

Spanish: 1-877-767-8432

TDD: 1-800-487-4889

Fax: 301-468-6433

www.health.org

Use the toll-free number to:

• Request printed materials on substance abuse.

• Learn about treatment options in your state.

• Speak to someone about substance abuse.

• Speak to someone about drug treatment referrals.

Recovery Network provides information about substance abuse, addiction, and mental health problems.

www.recoverynetwork.org

The National Association of Student Assistance Professionals has information about Student

Assistance Programs.

www.nasap.org

Government Web Sites Offering Drug-Related Information

Office of National Drug Control Policy

whitehousedrugpolicy.gov

The Anti-Drug.com

www.theantidrug.com

Freevibe.com

www.freevibe.com

National Youth Anti-Drug

Media Campaign

mediacampaign.org

druganswer.com (in Asian languages)

National Institute on Drug Abuse

www.nida.nih.gov

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health

Services Administration (SAMHSA), part of

the U.S. Department of Health and Human

Services

www.samhsa.gov

Center for Substance Abuse Prevention

www.samhsa.gov/csap

Center for Substance Abuse Treatment

www.samhsa.gov/csat

The Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program

(U.S. Department of Education)