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Media/News > Press Releases > 05.01.04 Drug charity calls for an immediate halt to random drug testing in schools Today sees the introduction of the UK’s first random drug testing regime at Abbey School in Kent. Transform director Danny Kushlick responds: “Transform believes that all drug use, including cannabis use, can be harmful to young people. However, drug testing in schools is based upon ill-informed drug war thinking that is totally inappropriate for addressing young peoples’ drug use and does nothing to encourage informed and responsible lifestyle choices. “The health harms to young people from alcohol, tobacco and solvents eclipse the harms from all illegal drugs combined by a significant margin, yet the proposed tests are only for illegal drugs. This suggests that such tests are primarily testing for illegal activity, and that teachers are being used inappropriately to police drug prohibition. The deterrent effect of such measures is dubious and the likely effect is increased exclusions and truancy among the pupils most in need of help, whilst illegal drug use will be driven further underground, becoming less visible and more dangerous. “All the research tells us that the illegal drug of choice for youngsters is cannabis and that this is the illegal drug most likely to appear on the test. If we are serious about addressing the more serious harms caused by alcohol, tobacco, heroin and cocaine we will need a far more comprehensive approach to young people’s drug use. Testing for illegal drugs will do little more than provide an illusion of security for parents and teachers. “Transform is concerned that the pilot project is being funded by a tabloid newspaper and a drug test manufacturer, both of whom would appear to have more to gain from the introduction of random testing than the pupils at the school. “Transform is aware that the education experts advising government rejected the idea of random drug testing in schools for a variety of practical, ethical and legal reasons. A widescale consultation on the guidance came to similar conclusions. However, this guidance was ignored by Government and this recommendation removed from the DfES drugs in schools guidance literature on drugs at the behest of Number 10. “Drug use in schools is an emotive subject that is clearly being exploited by the government for political gain. Random testing is a classic piece of election-time law and order populism. Tony Blair made a point of personally announcing the policy of random testing in an exclusive interview with the News of the World last year. He wants to be associated with tough sounding drug initiatives, apparently regardless of expert opinion on effectiveness. “A refusal by pupils to take the tests would end the programme before it even began. We would encourage both pupils and parents to seriously explore the ethics and efficacy of drug testing in school before they comply with them. further information
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