Drug Testing High School Athletes

[TNT]

Should High School Athletes be drug tested? My vote ---yes

[LadyLions01]

i think they should be able to drug test high school athletes, if they hve reason to believe they could be using drugs.

[riserfan]

Yes i think so but only if they test the coaches, umps, girls checking the tickets and the rest of the kids in school.

[holdtherope]

Not a bad idea,but the cost is enormous.Who foots the bill with already strained budgets?

[redbaron515]

I think it should be mandatory for all student athletes, but again, budget.

[allsport]

High school sports are considered an extra curricular activity and an option for those students who choose to participate. If they do so - then it should be understood that the family involved will be responsible for any drug testing that might occur. Schools could expect that families pay at least for two tests even if their child is not tested. What could it hurt? If nothing is going on - then its not a big deal. People make a big deal because they think it violates their rights - well - do not play sports - pure and simple. People have to remember - sports are extra curricular and NOT MANDATORY. Athletes are suppose to set an example any way. What better way than to prove that you can play sports and be a good kid too. For those that can not afford it - most schools have funds to help those that need it. Most kids welcome the opportunity to be tested. Plus if they know that the possibility is there that they might come in on a Monday morning and get pulled - then maybe they wont succomb to peer pressure so easily. JMO

[DelTavian]

It's fine as long as you're going to test coaches, teachers and everyone else in the school. I don't see making kids meet a standard you're letting grown ups skate on.

 

Clean up the grown ups first and then the kids might have better role models.

 

Bottom line is the kids shouldn't have to if the adults don't.

 

Del (who supports drug testing....for both kids and adults.)

[chs4life]

It's fine as long as you're going to test coaches, teachers and everyone else in the school. I don't see making kids meet a standard you're letting grown ups skate on.

 

Clean up the grown ups first and then the kids might have better role models.

 

Bottom line is the kids shouldn't have to if the adults don't.

 

Del (who supports drug testing....for both kids and adults.)

Good idea.

[slr52]

In theory it sounds good to say that everyone should be tested for drugs - the idea being that those who don't use drugs have nothing to worry about. Apparently it isn't quite that simple. Certain "over the counter" drugs can cause a false positive that could get an athlete in trouble. A lot of education would have to go hand in hand with the testing to make sure that innocent people are not falsely accused.

 

For instance, my daughter has been informed that next year as a college athlete, she will be subject to surprise testing. For that reason she will be under strict guidelines not to take any kind of medicine that she does not receive through the university. So no running down to the corner Walgreens for cold medicine.

[walkingthewalk]

I don't think there should be drug tests for high school athletes. One reason the funding and another then well some teams might have problems fielding nine good players. You can basically tell if a kid does drugs, don't make it more humiliating for the parents. It's there kids let them deal with it.

[THE KING]

Most drug tests look for marijuana and cocaine. Anything over-the-counter should not get a kid in trouble. And Del, most adults who work a full-time job get random drug tests, so I think its only fair that kids get random tests in school. The King (who by his posts, most people think he's on drugs!)

Edited May 8, 2004 by THE KING

[Bassmaster]

I think drug testing should be done more than it is. It should test for marijauna, cocaine, steroids, and prescription pain killers. There is gonna be one huge problem though when then majority of the players fail the test. Who's gonna play. Face it, eventhough there are many players who don't use drugs there are probably more that do. There are probably more doing it than parents will admit to. Since parents won't ever admit their child has a problem. Drug testing is not going to do anything but make parents angry when they find out their child has been smoking pot, then they will get mad at the school for picking on their kid. Conclusion, the players and coaches already know who is doing it and unless it is obvious steroid use or there are criminal charges involved leave the kids alone unless you are prepared to punish everyone that fails the test.