Tammy East has a son in junior high, and she thinks the random drug testing that he and other students will be subjected to throughout the year is good. She only has one objection:

"I think they should have drug testing for everyone, not just those in sports or other extracurricular activities..."

The drug testing policy, which has been in place at the high school level since the 1997-98 school year, has previously applied only to athletes. This year, however, testing will be expanded to include all students involved in all extracurricular activities in both junior and senior high. Source: Peoria (IL) Journal Star

Labels: drug_screening, drug_testing, students

Students at Pleasant Valley High School in Jacksonville, Alabama, got to experience firsthand the effects of alcohol. A grant from Westinghouse allowed the school to purchase four sets of "fatal vision goggles" which distort vision and simulate the effects of a 0.08 blood alcohol level.

"Students walked the green line of tape, were asked to stand on one foot for 30 seconds, find a nickel among a group of coins on the floor and then, the most difficult part, to pick it up... Most students were amazed by how distorted their vision was..."

The goggles were part of a Drunk Busters program which was held just a few days before prom. The hope was that students would be deterred from drinking and driving during this year's prom celebration. Source: Jacksonville News

Worried about being liable for your teen's risky behavior behind the wheel? Learn more about Parental Liability for Underage Drivers at DrugRehabTreatment.com.

Labels: alcohol, drunk_driving, students

The drug is nicknamed "dex", but is commonly known as Dextroamphetamine or Dexedrine. It's a stimulant that prescribed to patients who have ADHD, but some Canadian college students have begun using it to help them cram for finals.

"One first-year U of C business student told a Calgary TV station that he buys Dexedrine for $5 a pill from a friend with ADHD. He said dex keeps him extra-focused for hours of hard-core studying and also while he's writing exams."

One of the dangers of misusing Dexedrine is that is can aggravate existing medical conditions like high blood pressure, and there is a risk of psychological addiction. Read more at EdmontonSun.com.

Labels: prescription drugs, stimulants, students

Of the more than 7 1/2 million people who attended college in 2005, 1.8 million met the medical criteria for substance abuse or dependence. The report was released by the National Center of Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University and says this number is about 2 1/2 times the national average.

"[The center's president, Joseph Califano Jr.] said nearly two-thirds of college student drinkers began drinking in high school, and 8% began in junior high."

Use of prescription drugs has skyrocketed among college students, as has marijuana use. Read more at Freep.com.

Labels: binge drinking, college, high school, students

The Pequannock High School recently approved a new "Monday Test" that can determine if students had been drinking for up to 80 hours prior to the test. The tests will take place each Monday, but testing is voluntary and will not be forced.

"...students who test positive will not be kicked off sports teams or barred from extracurricular activities. Instead they will receive counseling, and their parents will be notified."

This is not the first school district to implement such tests. Alcohol and drug testing has been implement in several other states, including Texas. Pequannock implemented drug testing in 2005 and has seen a dramatic reduction is drug use among the school's students. Read more at DailyRecord.com.

Labels: drug testing, high school, students