PARENTS SHOULD MONITOR AND TEST THEIR CHILDREN

There are more drugs in our schools than ever before. Drugs are more
affordable, accessible and accepted. As parents, we are responsible
to censor our children. When parents do not monitor their children,
it becomes the responsibility of schools and the community. Do not
make the assumption that only kids with "nothing to do after school"
are the ones doing drugs. There are no boundaries for drug use. All
teenage social groups include kids who experiment with drugs. If you
have kids, talk to them. I asked a teenager when he used drugs for
the first time. He answered that he first smoked marijuana with his
parents when he was 12.

Do your kids think drug use is acceptable? Drug use is illegal. It
can be stopped through accountability and drug testing. As parents,
we have the responsibility.

Do you know where your child is and what he is doing? Do you know if
your child uses drugs? Have you asked? If you're not sure, test them.
Get a hair test instead of a urine test. Drugs stay in the hair up to
six months. I have told my own children that I will test them if I
suspect drug use. We must be accountable and hold our children
accountable. When parents do this, maybe we won't need drug testing
in the future. But until that happens, if drug testing stops kids
from using drugs, then drug testing has my full support.

John D. Hansen

Dunn