Random Drug Testing in Schools Proving Highly Successful

A controversial question, random student drug				over 1 million teenagers between the ages of 12
testing in high school has been a fevered debate				and 17 used or were dependent on an illegal or
but the latest research is proving that consistent				illicit drug. This statistic collected by a Federal
drug testing is an effective deterrent for teen				studies, this number represents almost 5% of
drug abuse. Thousands of school districts are				American teens. Luckily, in different parts of the
reporting record drops in student drug use and				country where schools have begun random
beginning athletic and random student drug testing				student drug testing, the number of teenage
programs. The reason for the sharp decline in				users are dropping. In 2009 over 1000 high
student use and success in prevention is evident;				schools and junior highs began preventative
most students will choose to not get high and				measures with the power of random drug
save themselves over peer pressure if they				screening and this number will only rise in 2010 as
absolutely are certain that there is a chance they				more positive results and information is spread.
will be receiving a drug test. The utilization of urine				With both state and federal courts recognizing the
screening in schools began about a decade ago in				effectiveness and usefulness of high school drug
athletic departments nationwide. Now, many				testing program opponents of this issue are
schools have chosen to expand beyond sport				beginning to lose the battle. The United States
programs to screen high-risk students and those				Supreme Court has ruled on the matter twice,
who show reasonable cause. With each successful				resulting in exceptions on the privacy rights of
school, the number of new districts that adapt				students to allow drug screening. The court ruling
drug screening programs increase.				supports random drug screening for students
In 2007 the drug czar under the Bush				whom there is "reasonable suspicion" of drug use
administrations, John Walters, said that "testing is				and those whom participate in sports, after school
the single most important step schools can take,				programs or extracurricular activities. Our highest
and it's becoming increasingly hard to dismiss				court's clear decision was based upon the hard
administrators who say that testing works for				facts that drug testing in schools is a proven
them and can be done fairly cost effectively." In				deterrent to teenage drug use.
2005, the year of these statistics were collected;