NICE TO KNOW OUTCOME OF STUDENT DRUG TESTS

Most people experience a little concern when they head to the doctor for an
annual check-up. Walking out with a good report is much better than not
knowing if something might be wrong.

Parents of students attending Morgan County schools might have that feeling
this week after the system reported that all students tested for illegal
drugs passed.

The school system randomly tested 283 students in the program's first year,
153 females and 130 males.

Decatur and Hartselle school systems are now completing their second year
of random testing and include nicotine screening. In their first year, each
found a few incidences of nicotine, and a few students tested positive for
marijuana.

Still, considering the number of students tested countywide, the results
are encouraging. If nothing else, they tell parents that most students
haven't succumbed to habits that could threaten their lives and affect
their futures.

The tests, because they are random, also serve as a deterrent to some
students from experimenting with illegal drugs.

While not all students are tested, the results strongly suggest that drugs
are not rampant in any of the schools, which is the best check-up for
squelching rumors that inevitably pop up.