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Comsewogue High School in Garden City, New York, is planning to give away home drug testing kits to parents as part of a substance abuse workshop. School officials have stated that distribution of the kits is part of a wider effort to curb teen substance abuse, but says it isn't encouraging parents to spy on their children.

Assistant Superintendent Joseph Rella commented, "We are not endorsing drug testing at home by making these kits available. ... Our philosophy is: Testing isn't treatment. If a parent suspects his child is involved with drug abuse, we recommend they see a medical professional."

The action has caused some controversy, as many experts believe that drug testing should be performed by professionals. Dr. Sharon Levy, director of the adolescent substance abuse program at Children's Hospital Boston, says that drug testing is more complex than collecting a urine sample and home test kits can be misleading: "You might be falsely reassured that your child has had a negative drug test. ... A one-time test tells you very little." (Source: www.newday.com)

Labels: schools, drug-testing

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Last week, The New York Post reported on a home drug test that is being introduced by a San Diego-based company called Confirm Biosciences. The kit, which sells for $89.99, helps parents collect a hair sample from their children; the sample is then sent to a lab for analysis in a pre-paid overnight FedEx envelope. The test can reveal any type of drug use within the past 90 days, including prescription pills and liquids. Parents receive reports that rate their kids as "non-users," "recreational users," "daily/weekend users," or "constant users." (Source: www.nypost.com)

Labels: parents, drug-testing

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