LET'S TALK

Dear Editor:

I am surprised that the practice of drug testing teens is becoming so
acceptable. We teach them in school about America being a free and
just society and in this country you are innocent until proven guilty.
Then we drag them "kicking and screaming" to be drug tested to prove
their innocence ["Hospital offers new drug test for teens," Linda
Dalton, Jan. 8, 2003]. The article came off as just an acceptable
practice in today's times, to bring your angry teen to the back door
of an emergency room and threaten them with a needle to get a urine
analysis. It seems that this practice would be too traumatic on the
family to ever recover. Stronger involvement and better communication
seem a better course of action.

THOMAS SCHUBERT

Humble