The Drug Fits The Face

[flwyd]

In Nelson County, Ky., all high school athletes in fall sports were tested for drugs at the beginning of the school year, followed by two more rounds of tests for randomly selected athletes. This spring, students involved in other extracurricular activities -- like band or yearbook -- also will start random testing, said Karen Johnson, the school district's director of federal grants.

-- AP

Drug testing in sports is widespread around the world. But I'm trying to figure out what would count as a performance-enhancing drug for Yearbook Club.

Students who test positive are temporarily pulled off their team and receive counseling from a school adviser, Johnson said. Police are not called, and students rarely, if ever, risk being suspended or expelled from school, she said.

Now, it may just be me, but kicking drug users out of extracurricular activities doesn't seem like the best way to reduce their drug use. Too many teenagers already do drugs because they have nothing better to do.

And in the meaningless statistics category, this is journal entry #400 for me.

Update #4: The anti-drug commercials in the Super Bowl this year were a lot lighter handed than last year, when they accused drug users of supporting terrorism, for instance. This year their message is that drugs can mess you up, so you should confront people (well, teens) you love about their drug use. This is an anti-drug message that can be presented by both folks who are for and against drug legalization and use. It's the same approach that we take to alcohol abuse. They're also encouraging kids to get involved, which is what I advocated above.

We're still a long way from drug policy which respects well-considered individual decisions, aids drug safety through legalization, and treats addicts as patients instead of criminals. Or one with a sense of humor like the great Shards O' Glass ad. And the beer companies seem to be walking the line with ads promoting responsible drinking. It's a pity CBS refused to air ads about responsible taxation or how to get laid by socially responsible chicks. And how about an ad for responsible gas mileage?

However, any thought that CBS was caving to social conservatives was utterly demolished by the half time show. With that kind of money and production value, you'd think they could've gotten some actual musicians. Sheesh.

Comments

[hattrickflyer.livejournal.com]

Sudafed, Mt. Dew, that kind of stuff.

And occasionally speed, like Jessie Spano on Saved By the Bell.

[mythicsagefire.livejournal.com]

My friend Rob started a local grass-roots org called PERDL - Parents and Educators for the Reformation of Drug Laws.

I think your way of thinking would fit very well into what we are trying to do. www.perdl.com