Study: Random Drug Testing At New Jersey Schools Effective
By David Madden
TRENTON, N.J. (CBS) - A six year study has concluded that random drug testing in New Jersey schools is an effective deterrent in the fight against substance abuse.
You could call it a return to basics.
Several New Jersey districts have obtained parental permission to conduct random drug tests on middle school students.
The Partnership for a Drug Free New Jersey teamed up with the Fairleigh Dickinson Public Mind Poll to look at what effect those tests made on the kids who got them.
"When a student was randomly drug tested, those students were much less likely to abuse and to experiment with drugs throughout their highs school careers," says Angelo Valente, executive director of the partnership.
While drug testing for those in extracurricular activities is nothing new, testing any student at random is.
Drug use in middle school may be rare, but Valente says this study shows early testing makes drug use in high school far less attractive.
