Drug testing has been increasing at an alarming rate in American school districts. Notably, it can be viewed as a reaction to various developments, such as liberalization of marijuana laws and the thriving opioid epidemic.
According to Dr. Paul Glaser, a child psychiatry expert at Washington University School of Medicine located in St. Louis, a considerable fear exists if marijuana is legalized as many teens may be prompted to use.
Drug testing thriving in schools
According to federal government research, about thirty-eight percent (38%) of school districts incorporated drug testing strategies in 2016. This is a significant rise from a quarter of them ten (10) years ago.
A worrying trend has, however, been witnessed because as drug testing is rising in school districts, drug prevention measures are not considerably being emphasized.
For instance, a recent study by the school health policies and practices revealed that the number of districts necessitating elementary schools to educate learners about alcohol and drug prevention has been declining.
Consequently, the arrangements are being made with off-site firms to offer drug treatment and the provision of funds needed for professional drug prevention strategies.
Drug testing prompted in extracurricular activities
Aura and Morgan Brillhart aged thirteen (13) and eleven (11) years respectively will be subjected to a new form of drug test. This trend has been rampant in high and middle schools located in Fort Scott, Kansas.
The siblings are among learners who will be required to carry out drug tests whenever they are to participate in dances, clubs, and sports, among other extracurricular activities.
Their mother, Jody Hoener, asserted that drug usage was an issue that should not be in oblivion as it is rampant; hence, it ought to be amicably addressed through approaches, such as drug testing.
Bushland Independent School District that is close to Amarillo, Texas, is another American community that has necessitated the testing of learners as young as eleven (11) years for any form of illicit drug usage. Notably, the program in Bushland community costs nearly ten thousand dollars (US$10,000) annually, whereas the one in Fort Scott is approximately four thousand dollars (US$4,000).
According to Fort Scott High School’s principal, Amber Toth, preventing drug addiction and abuse for one student is a costly exercise because it is worth four thousand dollars (US$4,000).
On the other hand, it has been stipulated that US schools are still at risk because of gun violence and mass shootings.
