Pubdate: Wed, 27 Mar 2002
Source: Havelock News, The (NC)
Copyright: 2002 Havelock News
Contact:  http://www.havenews.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1734
Author: Arnie Adams
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)

STATISTICS AND PERSPECTIVE

I am neither for nor against random drug testing. I am against those that 
use "junk" science and knee jerk reactions to justify laws only to expand 
the power base of politicians or those in charge of something. It is wrong, 
immoral in fact, to experiment with ideological uncertainties developed at 
the expense of individual privacy and freedom. Unfortunately, as one writer 
put it, it is this way because the voters let it be.

That rhetorical nonsense beginning "Americans should not have to put up 
with." as gun destroying advocates and others use it, is as realistically 
impossible as legislating zero lawlessness er-tolerance. Given the nature 
of humans, it is sheer idiocy to believe that laws will stop behavior. Laws 
only define what is right or wrong and what is punishable, always after the 
fact. Laws, as it is plain to see, do not solve problems, some only create 
them.

The U. S. Supreme Court has ruled that schools can require drug testing of 
students who wish to enter after school activities. The ACLU has protested, 
rightly pointing out that testing in the absence of a reason is contrary to 
a citizen's constitutional rights.

It makes sense to me that creating a permissible atmosphere for the 
incursion of privacy of anyone, whether a callow youth or an aspiring 
athlete, leads only to power and control by the administrator. It bothers 
me to think that most of these "lawful threats" only create an extra weapon 
for those who need excuses for their actions and does nothing to correct 
the problem.

Statistics are often quoted to prove that invasion of privacy is 
appropriate. The problem is that statisticians, when asked to confirm their 
methodology, provide results that often are contrary. In this case we need 
testing for drugs because students, according the Feds, are more than half 
airheads. The quote is that 50% or better of high school seniors have used 
illegal drugs. How can that be? We have had an ongoing war on drugs for 
over thirty years. The college campus, once the hot bed for LSD and other 
drugs, now is a vague repository of all kinds of illegal drug use, or says 
the various surveys. How come, then, after all these years of drug 
awareness and legislation, is there an ongoing abuse of drugs, even an 
increase?

 From my perspective the surveys are quoted in a biased manner to support 
an agenda. Was an illegal drug something that was prescribed but not 
identified? Could detection of an illegal drug have been incorrect? Is the 
system providing the advertised results? These questions are left 
unanswered. Given the mischievousness of human nature drug testing will be 
just another opportunity to waylay the opposition.

Respected scientific institutions such as the National Academy of Sciences 
have looked at the record and found little support for most of the drug 
testing industry's claims. "We have always believed drug testing of 
unimpaired workers stands the presumption of innocence on its head and 
violates the most fundamental privacy rights," said ACLU Executive Director 
Ira Glasser. "Now we know that sacrificing these rights serves no 
legitimate business purpose either."

Common sense and history confirms that the discipline of juveniles belongs 
to the judgment of parents and teachers, coaches and trainers, those who 
deal with the person, not some statistic. It is time to take a hard look at 
the presumption of parental duties by government.

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Arnie Adams is a freelance columnist who writes about current affairs. He 
is retired from the US Coast Guard.
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MAP posted-by: Alex