Far from stopping drug use, students may seek out illicit substances other than marijuana. And false positives may cause some innocent students to be incorrectly labeled as drug users, paradoxically leading to an increased risk of future drug use, according to a paper released Monday in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.
“So as a prevention effort, school drug testing is kind of wrong-headed,” said Daniel Romer, of the University of Pennsylvania Annenberg Public Policy Center.
“Even though drug testing sounds good, based on the science, it’s not working.”
At least 28 percent of high school students are currently subject to drug testing, according to the study.
The researchers say other approaches to drug-use prevention are more effective – and less expensive. Fostering a positive school climate by creating a more inclusive culture in the school can reduce substance use, and that should be the focus of drug prevention efforts, the authors conclude.
