High School Athlete Drug Testing

[thedogg16]

What about tobacco. There would be entire baseball teams have to sit out for that if it was tested

[Flock_92]

What about tobacco. There would be entire baseball teams have to sit out for that if it was tested

You are 100% right! Tobacco is covered in the student athlete rules meeting that all parents and student athletes must attend annually. However it is so frequently overlooked. There are rules in place but no one wants to enforce them.

[baseball16]

I guess I will respond one more time.

I'm a baseball coach, have been for 20 years. Tobacco is known to follow baseball . I've probably dealt with this issue 5 times in my career. Now , I'm not dumb to know I'm sure many of my ex players have done it. But I will not bag search. They know if I see it then there are punishments( suspension , running, parent meeting, etc... ) however termination is never on the agenda early . I would rather give them information and research on the use then just get rid of them. Also what they do outside the school and field is on them and their PARENTS. Senior that is 18 is legal to buy it. There is not much I can do about that Law. To stack tobacco in with narcotics is extreme. Narcotics I can see a lot harsher penalties then tobacco considering they are illegal without a prescription.

[thedogg16]

Not putting it up there with narcotics. Just saying some see it as a problem. I think it should be allowed

[Flock_92]

baseball16, not surprised that you revealed that you are a coach. I am glad that you have given us a coaches perspective. I'm sure you have a lot of things to deal with as a coach and have allowed yourself to overlook smaller violations like tobacco use, but tobacco regardless of the athletes age is not allowed on school property. After 20 years of service sometimes we all need a refreshing of spirit so we don't get complacent. I hope that you will remain vigilant in protecting the kids and enforce the rules.

[DrugTestCzar]

DrugTestCzar,
I love your post. How do schools implement a program like what you are describing? I think that with the drug problem in our Appalachian area a stern drug policy is what is needed to insure our youths future by showing them that there ways to avoid drug use and educating the kids. Would love to hear more of your ideas of how to install, establish and enforce a drug policy in our schools. Thank you.

Within public school districts, the school board has to approve of the policy. The policies, which have been tested and legal, according to the supreme court in 2002, have to be adapted within the district. It really is not at all that hard and we policies ready to adapt. What is unique about our company is that we present our program and how it works to school boards / admins / communities. Then we work with districts through the policy adaption, then handle all of the testing, and medical review of the samples. We truly handle all of the work for the districts. It is a hands off approach from the school standpoint. (this eliminates community members stating that the school wont pick the star QB and only ever picks the one kid they think is on drugs) The school really has no involvement other than having an administrator present for "crowd control" during the testing process.

Some districts elect to utilize a local hospital for testing, which is fine and we understand that, but, student drug testing is different than DOT / employer based drug testing.

Our president founded the company in 1995 and has been going strong ever since. I personally have been with the company 11 years now. It is more common than ever for school districts to institute a student drug testing program. Once the community members hear what the program is about, they are usually in favor of a testing program. The program is not to search and seize. it is prevention and statistically does work.

One school we work with performed their research and it concluded that over 100 students have utilized the policy to "say No" to drugs / alcohol.

[osumufan]

South Point tests ALL its athletes including cheerleaders and band members in every sport/band they participate in. Some kids who play 3 sports get tested in every season. I think it hurts our participation rate but in the long run it is best. Wish the other OVC schools did the same. It's to their advantage to not test tem all!

[DrugTestCzar]

South Point tests ALL its athletes including cheerleaders and band members in every sport/band they participate in. Some kids who play 3 sports get tested in every season. I think it hurts our participation rate but in the long run it is best. Wish the other OVC schools did the same. It's to their advantage to not test tem all!

If students are choosing drugs over participation then there is a significant problem in that students life. Most of our schools we work have an increase in participation rather than decrease.