SCHOOL-BASED DRUG TESTING PROPOSED

Federal officials are proposing school-based drug testing as one way to
reverse the trend of ever-younger substance abusers, the nation's top drug
official said Friday during a visit to Oklahoma City. John Walters,
director of the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy, said his
agency is asking Congress for more money to fund drug testing in high
schools, and that he has seen positive results in other areas of the country.

"It's not the only tool, but it's a powerful tool where people feel the
problem is out of control," he said.

Drug testing of high school athletes has been allowed since 1995, but only
about 5 percent of schools in the country do it.

Debate over the issue boiled over in Oklahoma in 1999, when a group of
Tecumseh students sued the school district over a policy that called for
drug tests of all students involved in extracurricular activities.

The case made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, where justices ruled 5-4
that the district could test not only athletes, but those in activities
such as choir, band and FFA.

Studies have shown that more than 100 of Oklahoma's 500 school districts
would entertain ideas of drug testing, but so far none have gone the way of
Tecumseh.

"A lot of people feel they can't mention testing because they feel it's too
controversial," Walters said. "People feel you're going to take kids that
are already in trouble and punish them. That's not what the current testing
regime is about."

Walters said drug testing was about confidentially helping students kick
drug habits. He said it also counteracts peer pressure by giving students a
reason to say no to drugs.

"In many cases they (students) feel the environment they're in not only
tolerates drug use, it expects them to use drugs," he said. "The testing
gives kids a kind of security."

The renewed push comes after President Bush's proposal to direct $600
million over three years to fund the "Access to Recovery" initiative.

The plan would give people who cannot afford drug abuse treatment the
chance to receive vouchers from the federal government to subsidize the costs.

Federal plans to stem drug use will go deeper than school testing and
financial assistance, Walters said. Federal officials are seeking nearly
$12 billion in fiscal year 2004 for drug prevention measures.

A major area of concentration will be on drug education, especially about
the drug of choice for Oklahoma teens, marijuana.

Walters said 62 percent of the 6 million people nationwide who need
substance abuse treatment are addicted to marijuana. Cocaine is the next
highest at 30 percent.

The problem, Walters said, is that many people do not take marijuana seriously.

"The biggest problem with marijuana is baby boomer generation individuals
do not believe it's a serious drug of abuse," he said. "They don't realize
the potency of marijuana. They don't realize that the age of first use for
young people has gone from late teens to 14, 13, 12 and 11."

Walters said more teenagers seek substance abuse treatment for marijuana
addiction than all other illegal drugs combined.