Pubdate: Fri, 22 Dec 2000 Source: Amarillo Globe-News (TX) Copyright: 2000 Amarillo Globe-News Contact: P.O. Box 2091, Amarillo, TX 79166 Fax: (806) 373-0810 Website: http://amarillonet.com/ Forum: http://208.138.68.214:90/eshare/server?action=4 Author: Robert Sharpe DRUG TESTS FAIL THE TEST The decision of Tulia Independent School District board members to resume drug testing as a prerequisite for extracurricular activities may backfire. Student involvement in extracurricular activities has been shown to reduce drug use. Forcing students to undergo degrading drug tests as a prerequisite will only discourage extracurricular activity. It may also compel users of relatively harmless marijuana to switch to harder drugs to avoid positive drug tests. Marijuana is the only drug that stays in the human body long enough to make urinalysis a deterrent. Because marijuana metabolites are fat-soluble, they can linger for weeks. Harder drugs like Ecstasy and heroin are water-soluble and exit the human body within a few days - sooner if the user chooses to flush his or her system with water. If you think students don't know this, think again. Anyone capable of running a search on the Internet can find out how to thwart a drug test. Why is this relevant? Because the growing use of Ecstasy in America is in part a result of drug testing. A student who takes Ecstasy on Friday night will likely test clean on Monday morning. Ironically, the least dangerous recreational drug is the only one whose use is discouraged by testing. Drug testing profiteers do not readily volunteer this information, for obvious reasons. Finally, I would like to point out that the most commonly abused drug and the one most often associated with violent behavior is almost impossible to detect with urinalysis. That drug is alcohol, and it takes far more student lives every year than all other drugs combined. ROBERT SHARPE Program Officer The Lindesmith Center-Drug Policy Foundation Washington, D.C. - --- MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart