Pubdate: Fri, 14 Mar 2008 Source: Baytown Sun, The (TX) Copyright: 2008sBaytown Sun Contact: http://web.baytownsun.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1696 Author: David Bloom Note: Editorial written by David Bloom, managing editor of The Baytown Sun, on behalf of the newspaper's editorial board. DRUG TESTING Starting next school year, the Goose Creek school district will implement random drug-testing program for high school students in grades nine through 12 who participate in school-sponsored extracurricular activities or have a permit to drive and park at the campus. Why? Because school officials want to take whatever steps necessary to protect the health and future of these same students. In fact, we believe the school district is obligated to use every means at its disposal to deter kids from drug use. Drug testing is not a substitute for all efforts to reduce student drug use, but it does make all those efforts much stronger and more effective. The truth is, too many of our children are getting lost in drug and alcohol use. It is our responsibility to help children make the right choices. One of the worst decisions children can make is to gamble their lives and futures on drugs. Parents and educators have a responsibility to keep children and teens safe from drug use. For many students, drug testing will serve as a wake-up call. For these students, a positive drug test is so embarrassing that the test itself becomes an intervention. There are others, however, who have begun using alcohol and drugs, who are not responsive to prevention messages. Many of these users have not yet experienced the adverse health effects of their drug use, academic decline, and trouble with law enforcement agencies. But they will. One of the best ways to block the spread of drug use is through early intervention. The idea is to identify users, through drug testing and other means, then steer them from drugs to counseling, if necessary, before they become addicted or entice others to use drugs. Drug testing not only helps identify students who use drugs; it also creates a deterrent to use. It helps young people cope with peer pressure, giving them a convenient reason to say no. There is no one thing that will keep kids off drugs; it's a combination of strategies. It starts with home education: talking to our kids about alcohol and drug use and the consequences of such use. The bottom line: We need to get between our kids and drugs any way we can. Editorial written by David Bloom, managing editor of The Baytown Sun, on behalf of the newspaper's editorial board. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek