Pubdate: Sun, 23 Feb 2003 Source: Beaver County Times, The (PA) Copyright: 2003 Beaver County Times/Allegheny Times Contact: http://www.timesonline.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2449 Author: Neil A. Capretto TEENS AND DRUGS Letter-writer Robert Sharpe of the Drug Policy Alliance was very critical of Seneca Valley School District's efforts to reduce student drug use through drug testing. The Drug Policy Alliance is not an official government agency but is part of the powerful pro-marijuana lobby that plays down marijuana's harmful efforts in an effort to legalize drugs. Of course, it would be opposed to drug testing or any measures that would help its largest group of new customers, teen-agers, to not use or to stop using marijuana. Mr. Sharpe implied that drug testing would increase the use of harder drugs. This is simply not true. A recent study in the Journal of Adolescent Health showed student athletes subject to random drug testing were almost four times less likely to use illicit drugs than their counterparts at a similar school who were not tested. They were also three times less likely to use performance-enhancing substances such as steroids. We currently have an epidemic of heroin use in western Pennsylvania, which has devastated the lives of thousands of young people and their families including teens in every school district in Beaver County. Regionally, in the past year, heroin has caused more than 150 deaths and hundreds of new cases of hepatitis C, and has led many young teens to crime including prostitution. Mr. Sharpe was correct when he said a student who uses heroin only on Friday night would likely test clean on Monday morning. However, because heroin is so addictive, more than 90 percent of the hundreds of teens on heroin I have seen use it on a daily basis and could potentially be identified and helped earlier through proper drug screening. The most effective drug testing programs are well planned, maintain confidentiality and emphasize therapeutic over punitive measures. But even the best drug screening programs have limitations, and it would be naive for any school district to think that drug testing alone would solve their drug problems. Broad strategies involving the family, school, clergy, law enforcement, health care and other community forces working together over time are needed to have a true lasting effect. Developing comprehensive drug prevention and reduction programs with or without drug testing will cost money and be inconvenient. The simple question each community will need to answer is, "How many young people are they willing to lose before they decide it is time to do more?" Neil A. Capretto, D.O., F.A.S.A.M. Medical Director Gateway Rehabilitation Center Center Township - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens