PROMPT ADOLESCENT SUBSTANCE-ABUSE SCREENING

(BALTIMORE COUNTY) - More than half of all high school seniors in
Baltimore County admit to having used an illegal drug at least once.

The county's Bureau of Substance Abuse is starting a pilot program
that will let parents know immediately if their child has taken drugs
and provide counseling right away if that's the case.

The program known as PASS, an acronym for Prompt Adolescent
Substance-abuse Screening, will be available to the public starting
this week at the offices of the bureau's Northern Area Treatment
Program, 2 W. Aylesbury Road in Timonium, and the Eastern Area
Treatment Program, 9100 Franklin Square Drive in Rosedale. Drug
counselors will be available at the centers.

FDA officials say there are at least a half-dozen such ``rapid result
drug test kits'' being marketed for use by emergency rooms, personnel
departments, parole boards, public safety officials, transit agencies
and others.