Poll on Drug Testing

[rp44]

Well after reading what everyone had to say on this subject i decided to do some research. Rather than posting all of it I'll just give the website that I think gives the best information. This site answers almost any questions you have. From the cost of the drug tests to what can be detected to what types of tests there are.

 

http://www.nfhs.org/sportsmed/drug_testing.htm

[cacadeltoro]

cost law suits or whatever this is something even i will agree with it needs to be done

[rp44]

So, does everyone agree that it should be drugtesting for every athlete, or just random tests.

[spanarkle]

Yes I think all athletes should be drug tested along with anyone that is involved in an activity that requires after school contests or trips.

[coachdude]

Just thought this needed to be brought back to the front page. EastTennSportsWriter,Tdog,Hablo Comments please!

[hablogarbaje]

we definitely need to be talking about this one. i am rather surprised by the lack of respone. come on folks i know there have to be more opinions than this out there.....particularly you east tennesse folks. you all (like me) have opinions on everything. lets here them. pros and cons.

 

like i've said before, i think this would do wonders for our children, our schools, and our community. there are several reasons why. a coach on this thread said very poignantly that having clean kids night in and night out was winning in and of itself (paraphrase). is this true? is it worth it? if not why not? i know that i often "stir" things up, but i assure you that is NOT my intention here. i just sincerely believe that this one should be discussed in depth. so if there are opinions out there on either side lets here them,- PLEASE.

 

p.s.- a good mark for spanarkle!

[Edited by hablogarbaje on 4-15-03 7:56P]

 

[Trifector3]

No I do not think it should be done unless ithey buy the expensive test that detects all drugs. Because if the kid you test is a drug head and he is caught with lets say THC in his blood and then he is forced off that drug then he will move onto a stronger and more lethal drug that may not be tested by standard drug tests so only should drug testing be required if the school has the money to pay 80 bucks a pop for the extended tests.

[ut46]

Drug testing has been put to used in some school systems in Georgia. Some of the thoughts that i posted were ways to help their student/athletes with any problems they may have with drug use.

To get any drug testing done you have to get the support of the community, county commission, and then the school boards will jump in. School boards are afraid of law suits that is why you must have support groups available to the S/A's, that way the school board can cover their butts.

[hablogarbaje]

that is very true, ut. but i was hoping for a bit more of a survey on the feelings people have towards the notion of testing in their own neck of the woods...i think your remarks are very, very true, and it would be hard to argue against them. however, they are geared more toward what people need to know once they do want to implement such tests....i just really want to get a feel for what people think about it in their respective areas, yea or nay, why or why not.....thanks for your response.

[smokeyvol1]

Why would people think there would be law suits? After all we adults are tested at almost every place of employment and I've not heard of one successful law suit by anyone fighting a failed drug test. Does anyone else? I work in a hospital and like most places if you file for workers comp you are automatically tested. I have no problem with the test, why should my kids? .......... I will agree though, there needs to be a standard law regarding 1st, 2nd or 3rd offense. I also believe that any test that a S/A fails should be paid for by his/her parents.

[rp44]

If drug testing was done it would have to be done at all of the schools. It wouldn't be fair for some schools to do it and others not too. Some athletes would be caught using drugs and would loose all of their sports privileges, where as some schools wouldn't have the money to test all of their athletes. This is where a flaw in the system would be. But to drug test ALL athletes in the state would be millions of dollars. Especially if you consider band a sport .

[acdcfan]

as many of you know, sportswriter is no longer with us on coacht due to some inproper things related to work. i know the guy personally and he received a lot of heat over the article he did in relation to drug testing, but he received a lot of praise as well. i also think it says a lot for the coaches who stood up for it, you could tell by reading it that donald ensor was heartfelt and sincere when he pushed for it. stan ogg sounded sincere through the piece, lunsford and campbell agreed with it as well and made a strong case for it. i hope it opened eyes across the county and was something taken seriously. i hope it wasn't something the administration looked at and threw down with out thinking. carter county schools are in dire need of someone to step up and get the ball rolling on this project. why haven't our school board members or administrative people begun to mention this or work on this. if they want to help our kids, then they should do it. the parents and people in the communities need to gather and petition their school board members to get it done.

 

my opinion is this, i don't post a lot on this website, i mainly use it for information and keep up with county rivalries and softball playoff information, but i also think it should be mandatory statewide. we have seen several athletes come through our schools, who without a shadow of a doubt were doing drugs. i just think it would benefit the kids in the long run. how many times have the lives of some of our precious loved ones taken away from us early. i know in carter county for instance, we have lost several in the past years and it really, really bugs the heck out of you when you think of the situations. i know of a couple, who ranged from 18-26 who did drugs occasionally and it may have been a lapse of those involved in their deaths.

 

i know as a parent and former athlete in our county system, something needs to be done! kudos to hablo and everyone who is keeping this on the board, it takes guts to speak out on this subject and it's something people try to shy away from. don't steer away from something that could help your child, let's do this and help make our state a better place to play ball.

 

Johnny