Pubdate: Fri, 23 May 2008
Source: Los Angeles Times (CA)
Copyright: 2008 Los Angeles Times
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/bc7El3Yo
Website: http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/248
Author: Robert Sharpe
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n507/a05.html

DRUG RISKS

Re "Prescription overdose," May 18

The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy bears some 
responsibility for the rise in prescription overdose deaths. It has 
been pushing student drug tests without alerting schools and parents 
to their downside: urinalysis only deters marijuana use because 
synthetic pharmaceuticals exit the body quickly. This information is 
readily available on the Internet. It's one of the reasons the 
American Academy of Pediatrics opposes involuntary drug testing. 
Urinalysis provides incentives for marijuana users to switch to harder drugs.

Robert Sharpe

Policy Analyst, Common Sense for Drug Policy Washington
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