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Anti-drug group promotes home drug test kits to monitor children

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By The Associated Press | Wednesday, May 21, 2008 |

WASHINGTON —Two anti-drug groups Wednesday called on lawmakers to support greater use of teen drug testing.

   Just as parents use report cards to verify their children are performing well in schools, they ``can verify through a drug test that their kid is saying 'no' to drugs,'' said Debbie Moak, co-founder of Project 7th Grade, a nonprofit group that distributes home drug testing kits to parents.

   Project 7th Grade co-founder Steve Moak said the group distributes the tests because conventional methods of preventing teen drug abuse are not enough.

   ``Most prevention programs state something like, 'Talking to your kids may reduce substance abuse by up to 50 percent,''' Moak said. ``In our organization, we say that 50 percent is still an 'F.'''

   Moak's organization, sponsored by a home drug testing company called First Check, maintains drug testing is a way of liberating students, rather than oppressing them.

   ``What we see is drug tests being used in reward systems, not as punishments,'' Moak said. ``Once students pass the test, parents don't mind letting them go out later or have more car privileges. And isn't drugs the reason we're afraid of giving those privileges in the first place?''

   Many student groups disagree, saying drug testing is counterproductive and a violation of teens' rights.

   ``I think there's a big difference between asking someone for their report card and asking for their urine'' in a drug test, said Kris Krane, director of Students for Sensible Drug Policy, a nonprofit advocacy group that opposes student drug testing.

   ``Handing them a drug test is a way of saying, 'I expect you to lie,''' Krane said. ``Teens shouldn't have to prove their worth by peeing in a cup.''

   Rep. John Shadegg, R-Ariz., praised the Moaks' effort.

   ``I think this is a critically important debate,'' he said, ``and I'd like to thank Steve and Debbie Moak for getting involved. I personally believe (home testing kits are) a great strategy to get the discussion going and that it gets people started in having this candid discussion with parents.''

   The discussion on Capitol Hill came at a time of national debate about whether teens should be drug tested at home, at school or at all.

   The U.S. Department of Education plans to award $8.5 million in new grants for student drug testing for 2008.

   Illicit drug use by American teens has gradually dropped since its peak in the mid-1990s, but almost half of high school students have tried drugs by the time they graduate, according to a 2007 study by the National Institutes of Health.

   It also comes as Senate lawmakers consider legislation introduced last week by Sen. Chris Dodd that could ease the automatic loss of federal financial aid to college students convicted of drug offenses by leaving that decision to judges.

   More school testing represents a solution, said Trent Coffey, director of Schools Together Allowing No Drugs, a group which helps schools administer drug tests.

   ``We probably can't stop the supply, but we can stop the demand,'' said Coffey.