Essay On Drug Testing In Schools

The use of drug testing in high schools is a form of ideology, that will combat drug use in teenagers, that is being spread across the American nation. It is also not uncommon to see the supporters of the plan, as it is to see the ones who oppose the testing. Both of the clashing clans can make their case of whether the drug testing is needed or if it is something that needs to dissipate with the morning breeze, but when all has been said and done, the use of teenage drug testing plays an important role in putting a definite ending to early abuse of illegal substances like drugs.
First, the methods schools use, is where must of the controversy comes from. With the way of collecting the urine samples of the students who attend the school, may seem radical to many,

and that is where a percentage of people believe that making someone hand in a urine sample at school is an invasion in the student’s privacy (Stinson 2007). What someone does in the bathroom is a private matter, and should be kept to themselves. This means the schools should not have the authority to use urine samples as the means of acquiring the results of who is and who is not taking and using drugs in the school. It is a tad bit impolite to ask someone to turn in their bodily fluids. Not many people enjoy being told what to do, so telling them they have to use the bathroom to pass a test with a chance of failing it. Students feel it is unfair that they have to take the tests or be searched on suspicion of using drugs. Searching the lockers and backpacks of the students is where the students need to be protected on their right of privacy. With probable cause it is legal for an officer to search a car, but many students believe it to be unfair that a teacher can search their belongings if they see signs of drug use including bloodshot eyes, frequently getting in trouble, and a fowl physical appearance (Drwilda). A number of students believe that if a teacher sees these signs it does not give them the power to take the law into their hands and do searches on their belongings, because the teacher is not a form of law enforcement.
In addition, many do not like the drug tests because of the high costs and technical issues with the tests.

The use of drug tests is an expenditure that many schools are new to; they have to start spending more money than they are originally use to. The costs of the testing is an expansive process (Lombardo 2015). To add insult to injury, the results do not have a 100% accuracy, because nothing is perfect (Stinson 2007). The drug testing system has its flaws. One person maybe come back with results showing that they have taken drugs, but when in all reality they have never laid eyes on drugs. This could lead to a magnitude of innocents being looked upon as guilty. Combining these two flaws, leads to a major predicament. The school is paying for a test that is not working at an effective rate, making the school use more money on a process that is not working to help the students that actually need the help. Another difficulty, is that there is not much evidence that suggests that the testing actually affects the outcome of drug use in school (The Effectiveness of Mandatory-Random Student Drug Testing). To put it simply, no one wants to buy something that is not going to work at a perfect efficiency

rate.
Abusing drugs at an early age can lead to a variety of health problems for the person who is using them. Some of these health issues involve: seizures, weight loss, and the loss of coordination (Drwilda). The negative effects of the intake of drugs, is something that all students at just about every level education is taught from the start of their day in kindergarten to graduation day of high school; it is not able to just ask every student on their enrollment list to not do drugs and believe they will never try or become addicted to drugs. So, to make sure their campus is drug free, the school will sometimes use methods of figuring out whether the students are clean or if they are using. The school uses the drug test to fight against the spread of illegal drugs at an early age with hopes it will also stop further substance abuse (Yamaguchi 2003)
Also, using drug tests, allows the school to effectively find out which students are using drugs. What many students are afraid is if they come back positive, and get in trouble with the law. That suspicion is wrong. When a student is found that is using drugs, they do not get in trouble with law enforcement, but they are able to get help with the school counselor (Lombardo 2015). For the student who fails the test, it means they are able to get help and have a better chance of going through life without an addiction to these illegal substances. Students should not oppose the drug test because the students will actually benefit from the tests, if they are either on or off drugs. To not support a drug test, is the same as not supporting a free test that can not hurt you, but may help you. There is no negative effect to the student who is taking the drug test. The worst thing to come from is the possibility of someone finding at that a fellow student failed and spread it across the school. That is a difficult thing to handle with, but the counselor will help the student and need and provide them with all the support they will need.
Finally, with a drug test, a student is provided with the necessary tools to kick their addiction. Though it is not proven that the use of drug testing in teenagers completely affects drug use in later life, but there are signs of schools that are showing less students that use drugs in schools with drug testing; it is a slight decline it is enough to make a difference (Brady 2008). Just a small percentage can add up to thousands of students that no longer take drugs. If a steady increase in that percentage then one day it might be possible to see that teenagers using drugs, become rare or unheard of. With all that the health issues that can be related to drugs, will no longer be as common or serious as they
are now. Less people will die of terminal disease, that were caused from drug use.
(Figure 1) The number of these diseases can not be counted on your hands. They go from lung cancer to a high risk of heart attacks (See figure 1). Too many people already suffer from these horrible problems, but with the introduction of drug testing in high school’s teenage students, it is possible to fight against illegal substance abuse and to hopefully put an end to life threatening disease that can be caused by those drugs.
It is understandable to look at the views of the students who are afraid that their rights will be thrown aside and that they might get in trouble for doing something they think is cool or possibly even a necessity in life. It is an understandable perspective. Though, the most positive point of view goes to the ones that believe drug testing is needed in the schools. With the chance of helping every student in school, and terminating high percentages of drug related health problems, it is the most logical solution. Drug testing in high school are a good thing to have in all schools.