The American Journal of Public Health published survey data this month stating that one in seven public school districts randomly drug test their students. Of those, 93 percent test for sports, 65 percent test for extracurricular activities, and 29 percent test everyone.

In 2002, the Supreme Court voted 5-4 to uphold the decision to allow random drug testing for athletes and students who participate in extracurricular activities, but testing the entire student body exceeds current Supreme Court authorization, and they’re more likely to do harm than good.

The American Academy of Pediatrics Council on School Health warns that:

• School-based drug testing programs could decrease student involvement in extracurricular activities and undermine trust between pupils and educators.
• Mandatory drug testing may motivate adolescents to switch from using drugs with relatively low morbidity and mortality, such as marijuana, to those that pose greater danger (such as inhalants), but are undetectable by screening tests.
• Widespread implementation of drug testing may also inadvertently encourage more students to abuse alcohol, which is associated with a greater number of adolescent deaths than any other illicit drug.

If I had to take a drug test to compete on the swim team or take part in the Red Ribbon Club when I was in school, I wouldn’t have joined either. (Yes, believe it or not – I was in the Red Ribbon Club. I plead temporary insanity and would like to assure you all that my brain is now functioning properly again.) I didn’t even smoke pot in High School! It’s just the principle of the fact — What I do (or don’t do) outside of school (or even work) is my own personal business and I don’t believe that anyone should have the authority to tell me otherwise.

Thankfully, it seems our nations’ students feel the same way I do. According to a 2003 study, “Drug testing, as practiced in recent years in American secondary schools, does not prevent or inhibit student drug use.”

Yet another way America’s War on Drugs is a complete and utter failure.

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Many people around my age are trying to figure out what they’re going to ‘get on their feet’ and start supporting themselves. Whether they’re trying to go back to school, get a car, buy a house or rent an apartment, or whatever else may make them more stable, money is always a huge factor.

Not many people have wealthy families that will support them or help them out with any of these things. What do you do then? Robbing a bank is out of the question!

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