TEENS AND DRUGS

Letter-writer Robert Sharpe of the Drug Policy Alliance was very critical
of Seneca Valley School District's efforts to reduce student drug use
through drug testing.

The Drug Policy Alliance is not an official government agency but is part
of the powerful pro-marijuana lobby that plays down marijuana's harmful
efforts in an effort to legalize drugs. Of course, it would be opposed to
drug testing or any measures that would help its largest group of new
customers, teen-agers, to not use or to stop using marijuana.

Mr. Sharpe implied that drug testing would increase the use of harder
drugs. This is simply not true. A recent study in the Journal of Adolescent
Health showed student athletes subject to random drug testing were almost
four times less likely to use illicit drugs than their counterparts at a
similar school who were not tested. They were also three times less likely
to use performance-enhancing substances such as steroids.

We currently have an epidemic of heroin use in western Pennsylvania, which
has devastated the lives of thousands of young people and their families
including teens in every school district in Beaver County. Regionally, in
the past year, heroin has caused more than 150 deaths and hundreds of new
cases of hepatitis C, and has led many young teens to crime including
prostitution.

Mr. Sharpe was correct when he said a student who uses heroin only on
Friday night would likely test clean on Monday morning. However, because
heroin is so addictive, more than 90 percent of the hundreds of teens on
heroin I have seen use it on a daily basis and could potentially be
identified and helped earlier through proper drug screening.

The most effective drug testing programs are well planned, maintain
confidentiality and emphasize therapeutic over punitive measures. But even
the best drug screening programs have limitations, and it would be naive
for any school district to think that drug testing alone would solve their
drug problems.

Broad strategies involving the family, school, clergy, law enforcement,
health care and other community forces working together over time are
needed to have a true lasting effect.

Developing comprehensive drug prevention and reduction programs with or
without drug testing will cost money and be inconvenient. The simple
question each community will need to answer is, "How many young people are
they willing to lose before they decide it is time to do more?"

Neil A. Capretto, D.O., F.A.S.A.M.

Medical Director

Gateway Rehabilitation Center

Center Township