DRUG TESTING www.TheCitizensWhoCare.org Home Drug Tests Popular with Parents, Thwarted by Teens Parents Would Drug-Test Kids, Survey Says Sales of Home Drug-Test Kits Soar Despite Warnings from Experts What You Need to Know About Starting a Student Drug-Testing Program Teens say testing no check on drug use The hows and whys of the OHSU study   Teens say testing no check on drug use OHSU - Survey results from teen athletes at 11 Oregon schools shock researchers A controversial study about drug testing of high school athletes found that such testing does not deter drug use. In fact, the mere presence of drug testing could increase risk factors for future substance use, the study by an Oregon Health & Science University doctor found. "It shocked us," said Dr. Linn Goldberg, who oversaw the study and heads the Division of Health Promotion and Sports Medicine at OHSU. The study, conducted at 11 high schools in Oregon, is the first randomized clinical trial to assess the deterrent effects of drug and alcohol testing on high school athletes. The results could have far-reaching implications at high schools and in districts that have embraced drug testing as a way to discourage teenage drug use. "It's not that we were proponents or opponents (of drug testing)," Goldberg said. "We're proponents for kids' health. So we thought it was important to study the issue. Why waste money if it's not going to work?" Oregon does not conduct statewide drug testing of athletes, but the 11 schools agreed to require their athletes to undergo random drug tests -- conducted 15 times during the academic year at each school -- as part of the study. When athletes tested positive for drugs or alcohol, their parents were informed, and they were sent to mandatory counseling. If they refused counseling, they were held out of play. They were not otherwise punished. The study based its conclusions on surveys of athletes, not on actual drug-test results. It showed that reported drug and alcohol use of drug-tested students during the month leading up to the test did not differ from athletes at schools in a control group who were not tested for drugs. The two-year study also showed a decline in acceptance of drug testing. Participants were asked to rate their agreement with statements on a scale from 1 to 7, with 1 meaning "strongly disagree" and 7 meaning "strongly agree." When asked their "belief in testing as a reason not to use drugs," the control group showed a decline in average agreement from 4.5 to 4.1. The drug-tested group's agreement with the statement declined more steeply, from an average score of 4.5 to 3.5, meaning they believed less after the study in drug testing as a deterrent. The findings of the study, which included about 1,400 athletes, will be released today in the Journal of Adolescent Health. They arrive amid the growth of drug-testing programs in high schools nationwide. Last year, New Jersey began the nation's first statewide random steroid testing program for high school athletes. Florida followed suit, and Texas recently adopted drug testing as part of a two-year, $6 million legislative mandate. But even as states and schools have enacted such policies, little evidence exists that they work. Drug testing might even have a negative effect on athletes, according to the OHSU study, dubbed SATURN (Student Athlete Testing Using Random Notification). The study found that students who were tested for drugs felt less athletically competent, saw school authorities as less opposed to drug use and believed less in the benefits of drug testing. Oregon has jumped to the center of the national drug-testing debate twice in recent years. In 1995 the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of drug testing of athletes at Vernonia High School, 45 miles northwest of Portland. In 2002, two years after the SATURN study began, students and parents complained they were being forced to participate. Students at Dallas High, about 15 miles west of Salem, filed a federal lawsuit. The Office for Human Research Protections stopped the study, which was funded by a $3.6 million federal grant. Goldberg said the study was nearly complete when it was halted and that he didn't think the controversy affected athletes' survey answers. "I think they were pretty insulated from it," he said. Larry Lockett was in his first year as principal at Astoria High when drug testing began under the SATURN program. He said he and others thought drug testing wouldn't change student behavior. "Obviously, we had no evidence of that, but it was a belief that was held by many faculty members, including myself," Lockett said. Still, he said, "I always believed that it was worth finding out the answers to those questions." Drug testing of high school students has risen in recent years, even as drug use among teenagers has been on a 10-year decline, according to a 2006 study by the University of Michigan. Goldberg and his fellow researchers, who included four other OHSU officials and three researchers from Arizona State University, recommended further study of drug and alcohol testing policies. "I would be very leery about putting in a drug-testing program unless you are actively evaluating it with surveys," Goldberg said. "Otherwise, you really don't know what you're doing." Source: Rachel Bachman: 503-221-4373; rachelbachman@ news.oregonian.com, www.oregonlive.com/education/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/119267791396220.xml&coll=7 The hows and whys of the OHSU study What's significant about the study? It's the first randomized, clinical trial to measure whether drug testing among high school athletes deters drug use. Did the study measure drug use? Not exactly. Though athletes were drug tested, the study's results are based on surveys of athletes, not on their actual drug-test results. Which drugs were included in tests? Randomly selected athletes were tested for marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, opiates (including heroin), PCP, bensodiazepines (such as Valium), barbiturates, LSD and alcohol. They also were tested for anabolic-androgenic steroids, but only on every other sample because of the expense of steroid tests. Which high schools did the study include? Schools that had drug testing included Astoria, Dallas, Scio, Creswell and Monroe. Schools in the control group -- where students completed surveys but were not drug tested -- were Warrenton, Gervais, Silverton, Philomath, Sherman and Santiam.   What happened to athletes who tested positive? Positive results were reported to parents or guardians, and the athlete was required to receive drug counseling. Only if an athlete refused counseling would he or she be held out of play. Why was the study controversial? Some athletes at schools involved with the study were required to participate in drug testing, and a few said they felt forced. Some students at Dallas High School filed a federal lawsuit, which was settled for $90,000 in legal fees. The federal Office of Human Research Protections stopped the two-year study a few months before its scheduled completion. Source: Rachel Bachman, www.oregonlive.com/oregonian/factbox/index.ssf?/base/factboxes/1192674306318700.xml Home Drug Tests Popular with Parents, Thwarted by Teens While a growing number of websites are selling home drug-test kits to parents, some of the same sites are also selling products that help teens mask their drug use, USA Today reported. "It's a classic cat-and-mouse game," said Allen St. Pierre of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML). "A drug test comes out, it's thwarted, then it's re-engineered, and it goes on and on." The home drug-test kits range from drip-strip urine tests to hair analysis. The options to fool the drug tests include herbal cleaners and additives. Sharon Levy, who specializes in childhood addiction at Children's Hospital in Boston, Mass., said products to beat drug tests "absolutely" work. Levy is against home testing because she says could lead to a breakdown in the parent-child relationship and keep teens from going to their doctor, where they can get help for a drug addiction. "The first thing you should do is talk to the child," said Levy. She said if a drug test is needed, the physician should do it. "I'm sure I can do a better job with it than a parent can do at home." But Sue Roche, president of the drug-prevention group National Families in Action, said the home drug-test kits help frustrated parents. Often, said Roche, pediatricians won't test teens for drugs, or if they do, they keep the results from the parents. Source: www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2004/home-drug-tests-popular-with.html Parents Would Drug-Test Kids, Survey Says The drug-prevention group NotMyKid has released a new survey finding that two-thirds of parents say they would drug-test their teenage children, Reuters reported. The survey of 2,064 parents also found that 86 percent of respondents said they speak to their kids about the dangers of drug use on a monthly or weekly basis. About half of parents said they discussed prescription-drug abuse with their children. NotMyKid recently received a $1-million donation from a drug-test maker, First Check Diagnostics, for its Project 7th Grade prevention program. The drug-testing firm also advertises on the group's website. "This survey underscores that parents realize the importance of early communications with their children and are open to the use of a home drug test to keep their children safe and drug free," stated NotMyKid cofounder Debbie Moak. "We believe that fostering greater communication between parents and their children coupled with utilization of a home drug test are the keys to preventing drug abuse and addiction." Source: www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2006/parents-would-drug-test-kids.html Sales of Home Drug-Test Kits Soar Despite Warnings from Experts The number of parents buying home drug-test kits has increased dramatically despite warnings from treatment professionals and government officials that home-testing adolescents is not a good idea, the Denver Post reported. Since the kits were first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1997, sales have soared, with industry leader Phamatech Inc. reaching sales of $27 million last year. The San Diego company's sales included 431,000 marijuana test kits. This industry is booming despite medical and government leaders cautioning against home testing. The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) does not encourage home testing, but supports random drug testing at schools, arguing that school officials are better-equipped to handle counseling and referrals. "By the time a parent tests, it's already far down the road," said ONDCP Deputy Director for Demand Reduction Bertha Madras. "If they get a positive result, then what? Parents may or may not have the skill to proceed." The American Academy of Pediatrics issued in March a policy statement opposing both home testing and involuntary drug testing in schools. The professional group points to the possibility of error or tampering. Others point to the erosion of trust at a time when many teens are already pulling away. "Parents are motivated by the best of intentions," said Dr. Sharon Levy, a childhood addiction specialist at Children's Hospital in Boston. "They are told by marketers that this is a good thing to do. But drug testing is basically a threat. And while it might have some short-term behavioral changes, I don't think it's a good long-term prevention method." Source: www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2007/sales-of-home-drug-test-kits.html What You Need to Know About Starting a Student Drug-Testing Program This assumes that you, as a school administrator, staff member, or parent involved in the decision, have considered all the issues, weighed the pros and cons, collected data, and are now ready to put together a plan for starting a drug testing program in your school. The booklet reviews the steps you need to take before implementing a testing program, such as conducting a needs assessment, consulting legal counsel, enlisting the support of both the school and the local community, developing a written policy, and providing access to student assistance. It offers guidance on how to find funding for your program, and it also includes a discussion of how some schools select students for testing and what types of tests they use. A list of resources includes websites and contact information for agencies and other organizations that can answer any further questions you may have about student drug testing. This booklet is meant to complement and build on the information provided in an earlier ONDCP publication, What You Need to Know About Drug Testing in Schools. What You Need to Know About Starting a Student Drug Testing Program is available online or as a PDF. Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), Executive Office of the President, 750 17th Street, NW, Washington, dc 20500 or 202-395-6732 or www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov or ondcp@ncjrs.org or www.jointogether.org/resources/what-you-need-to-know-about-1.html Source: www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/publications/student_drug_testing/ ©2007-2011, www.TheCitizensWhoCare.org/brookings/drugtesting.html