News (Media Awareness Project) - US AL: Drug Tests Yield Six Positives |
| Title: | US AL: Drug Tests Yield Six Positives |
| Published On: | 2002-12-12 |
| Source: | Hartselle Enquirer, The (AL) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-01-21 17:23:57 |
DRUG TESTS YIELD SIX POSITIVES
School Officials Say Number of Positive Results Below
Predictions
Hartselle City School's first round of drug testing netted six
positive results, a number lower than what experts had warned the
school board to expect.
Dr. Lee Hartsell released the results of the drug tests on Monday. The
results were available last week, but Hartsell said he would not
release then to the media before they were presented to the school
board. Alabama law requires all such documents to be made available to
the press and the public.
The result show that of 941 students tested, six tested positive. The
majority of those positive tests came from nicotine or tobacco use.
Board members said they were told positive results - especially for
schools testing for nicotine use - could be as high as 13 percent.
The lower numbers were a positive sign, according to board member Jeff
Gray.
"Even one positive test is too many, but these are promising numbers,"
he said. "There are well below some of the other systems."
The tests were conducted on all Hartselle system students involved in
extra curricular activities. Students were tested for alcohol,
narcotics and tobacco.
Random tests will be conducted in the future. Hartsell said those
results will be give to the board on a monthly basis.
The most recent tests were done in three stages:
a.. The first stage was conducted Oct. 18 at Hartselle High School.
There were 607 negative tests and 3 positive tests. Of those three
positive tests, two were for nicotine and one was positive for marijuana.
a.. Second stage was Nov. 6 at Hartselle High School. Two-hundred and
eighty students were tested with 278 negative results and two
positives. Both of the positive results were for nicotine.
a.. Random testing was conducted at both the high school and junior
high on Nov. 25. Thirty-four students were tested at the high school
with only one positive result. The test showed marijuana in the
student's system. Seventeen students were tested at the junior high
and none were positive.
School Officials Say Number of Positive Results Below
Predictions
Hartselle City School's first round of drug testing netted six
positive results, a number lower than what experts had warned the
school board to expect.
Dr. Lee Hartsell released the results of the drug tests on Monday. The
results were available last week, but Hartsell said he would not
release then to the media before they were presented to the school
board. Alabama law requires all such documents to be made available to
the press and the public.
The result show that of 941 students tested, six tested positive. The
majority of those positive tests came from nicotine or tobacco use.
Board members said they were told positive results - especially for
schools testing for nicotine use - could be as high as 13 percent.
The lower numbers were a positive sign, according to board member Jeff
Gray.
"Even one positive test is too many, but these are promising numbers,"
he said. "There are well below some of the other systems."
The tests were conducted on all Hartselle system students involved in
extra curricular activities. Students were tested for alcohol,
narcotics and tobacco.
Random tests will be conducted in the future. Hartsell said those
results will be give to the board on a monthly basis.
The most recent tests were done in three stages:
a.. The first stage was conducted Oct. 18 at Hartselle High School.
There were 607 negative tests and 3 positive tests. Of those three
positive tests, two were for nicotine and one was positive for marijuana.
a.. Second stage was Nov. 6 at Hartselle High School. Two-hundred and
eighty students were tested with 278 negative results and two
positives. Both of the positive results were for nicotine.
a.. Random testing was conducted at both the high school and junior
high on Nov. 25. Thirty-four students were tested at the high school
with only one positive result. The test showed marijuana in the
student's system. Seventeen students were tested at the junior high
and none were positive.
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