DRUG SCREENINGS TAKEN TO EXTREME?

Random drug testing is becoming a larger part of school life for students
in high school and even middle school.

We're of two minds about this development. There's no doubt that substance
abuse among teens has been an ongoing problem for a very long time. Some
of it is simply kids trying to rush adulthood through the early adoption
of adult vices.

And given the doping controversies in professional and amateur sports,
it's clear student athletes are tempted to emulate what they see in the
big leagues.

On the other hand, a lot of student experimentation with drugs takes place
off the school campus. And though we don't think school officials' concern
should stop at the curb, it's reasonable to question how much involvement
they should have in after-hours discipline.

School officials in El Dorado, Kan., a suburb of Wichita, have decided
that more is better in that regard. That school district is instituting
random drug screening for all middle and high school students
participating in -- or even just attending -- any extracurricular
activity, according to the Associated Press.

That includes sports, clubs, field trips, driver's education, even school
plays, according to the AP. Students must sign consent forms if they want
to attend games or school dances, join a club or even park a car on school
property.

This level of scrutiny suggests major drug problems among the student
body, but El Dorado administrators deny this -- the new policy is simply
preventive. Positive test results will be disclosed only to parents and
administrative punishments will be levied against violators.

We couldn't help but notice the crackdown in El Dorado included no mention
of the major illicit drug in teen society -- alcohol.

Statistics from the U.S. Department of Justice show that in 2004, 48
percent of high school seniors reported using alcohol in the past 30 days,
70 percent in the past year. Marijuana was way behind at 20 percent in the
past month, 34 percent in a year. Other substances weren't even close.

Anti-drug policies should always address alcohol abuse. It's easy to
procure, plus its legal status for adults confers upon it an undeserved
societal acceptance. If you're not 21, alcohol is just as illegal as any
illicit drug.

Though we don't condone any "recreational" drug use, we think prevention
efforts are most effective when they address problems in a proportionate
manner. We hope the folks in El Dorado keep that in mind as they go
forward.