STUDENT DRUG TESTING WILL NOT SOLVE PROBLEM

The Times' March 22 editorial on the absurdity of drug testing exceptional
students was right on target. Last year the U.S. Supreme Court issued a
controversial ruling that paved the way for school drug testing of students
who enroll in extracurricular activities. This latest drug war exemption to
the Constitution may do more harm than good.

Student involvement in after-school activities has been shown to reduce
drug use. They keep kids busy during the hours they are most likely to get
into trouble. Forcing students to undergo degrading urine tests as a
prerequisite will only discourage participation in extracurricular activities.

Drug testing may also compel users of relatively harmless marijuana to
switch to harder drugs to avoid testing positive. Despite a short-lived
high, marijuana is the only drug that stays in the human body long enough
to make urinalysis a deterrent. Marijuana's organic metabolites are
fat-soluble and can linger for days.

The most commonly abused drug and the one most closely associated with
violent behavior is almost impossible to detect with urinalysis. That drug
is alcohol, and it takes far more student lives every year than all illegal
drugs combined. Instead of wasting money on counterproductive drug tests,
schools should invest in reality-based drug education.

Robert Sharpe

Program Officer

Drug Policy Alliance

Washington, D.C.