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UK: Doubts over school drug testing

BBC Online

Wednesday 23 Feb 2005

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Random drug testing in schools should not be encouraged across Britain
until there is better evidence that it helps stamp out use, a charity
report says.

It could even have the "perverse consequence" that cannabis users switch to
harder drugs to avoid detection, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation says.

Both Labour and Conservatives back more use of random testing of pupils.

But the foundation said there was "little high-quality evidence" of its
supposed benefits.

'Adverse consequences'

In the report Neil McKeganey, professor of drug misuse research at Glasgow
University, argues that encouraging schools to introduce random testing
would be "ethically complex".

It could also have "unintended adverse consequences", he said.

The report found random schemes tested only a small selection of pupils and
were most likely to identify pupils who occasionally used cannabis - the
most common type of drug use.

They were less likely to help in getting early support for those with more
serious problems - like heroin users - because other drugs left the system
more quickly.

Tests could also "undermine trust between pupils and staff", making
problems harder to detect.

Prof McKeganey added: "It is difficult to judge the true likelihood of
drug-testing being widely used in UK schools.

"Unlike the United States, no central government funding has been allocated
for programmes.

"However, if random drug-testing programmes were to be piloted, there would
be an obvious need to ensure that their impact was rigorously and
independently evaluated."

Peer pressure

Abbey School in Faversham, Kent, has already introduced random drugs tests,
using mouth swabs.

As of two weeks ago, no pupils had tested positive, which the head teacher
Peter Walker said indicated success.

The tests had worked as a deterrent and reduced the level of peer pressure
to take drugs, he added.

For his study, Prof McKeganey reviewed the guidance on drug-testing
programmes within UK schools provided by the Department for Education and
Skills.

He also assessed existing research and theories on the subject.

 

 

 

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