DRUG TESTING STUDY AN INEXACT EXAMPLE

An editorial on drug testing ("Random testing no way to curb student
drug use," May 29) argues that student drug testing "simply doesn't
work," as purportedly shown by a study that examined schools with
"random drug screening programs" and found usage rates similar to
schools without such tests.

The study does no such thing. The analysis does not compare schools
with "random drug screening programs" to schools that lack them. In
reality, the study consisted of sending letters to administrators in
722 schools and asking them whether they had tested any students for
drugs in the last year for any reason. Only 18 percent responded that
they had.

Not only did the study cover a period (1998-2001) before the kind of
testing allowed by the Supreme Court in 2002, but also the lead
researcher himself declared, "One could imagine situations where drug
testing could be effective testing kids and doing it frequently. We're
not in a position to say that wouldn't work."

A national study that examines actual random screening programs would
make a contribution to the genuine student drug testing debate. This
is not that study.

JOHN WALTERS, Washington

Director of National Drug Control Policy.