1.

Prevent Drug Use

Point
There is a clear and present problem with drug use among children and teenagers in many
countries. According to the UK Department of Health, in 2002-2003 38% of 15 year olds had
used illegal drugs, as had 8% of 11 year olds[1]. The fact that all of these children would have
been in schools at the age of 15 shows that current policies of targeting the supply train of drugs
(for example by arresting drug dealers and intercepting drug shipments) is failing to protect
children. Therefore a more direct approach that intervenes at the point of consumption is needed,
most crucially for children and teenagers, as their years in education are crucial for both their
personal development and their realization of their future education and employment potential.
Drug use at a young age may lead to lifelong use and addiction. Random drug testing in schools
will allow for vulnerable children's drug problems to be discovered, and assist the state in getting
them the help they need to get off drugs. Random testing is especially valuable in this scenario
because many infant and teenage drug users will try to disguise their drug use from parents and
teachers and so avoid detection through avoiding suspicion, a tactic which will prove of no use
against random drug tests which will likely affect all students at one point or another. It should
also deter many students from starting taking drugs in the first place as the prospect of them
being caught becomes far more likely, as they know disguising their drug use will be of no use.
[1] Department of Health. Statistics on young people and drug misuse: England, 2003.
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Statistics/Statistical...

Counterpoint
Drug users' decisions are influenced by an irrational desire to fulfil the chemical need they feel
(to get their 'high'). As a consequence many drug users in schools will simply look for ways to
evade drug testing regimes that are put in place. This is a problem as drug testing is most likely
to catch cannabis users (the most widely-used drug among teenagers)[1], as cannabis endures
longer in the body than other more dangerous drugs such as heroin and cocaine. This can
potentially lead would-be cannabis users to switch to these harder drugs, most of which generally
have significantly shorter detection times and/or are less likely to be tested for.[2] This harm
clearly outweighs the benefits of catching or deterring a few more cannabis users.
[1] Department of Health. Statistics on young people and drug misuse: England, 2003.
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Statistics/Statistical...
[2] Rosenbaum, Marsha. Safety First: A Reality-Based Approach to Teens and Drugs. Drug
Policy Alliance. January 1, 2007

2. Schools duty of care

Point
Peer pressure drives most drug use among children and teenagers.[1] The fact that the state
requires all children to be engaged in education means that most of them will be gathered into
large groups in schools for most of the day, five days a week, essentially creating the necessary
conditions for peer pressure to take place and be powerful. This occurs as some children face
ostracism or exclusion from their peers in the social environment that the state compels them to
be in if they refuse to take illegal drugs, if drug use is deemed necessary to be 'cool' or 'popular'.
It is, generally, the state that operates a western liberal democracys education system. Under
circumstances in which children are placed into the care of the state, and are made vulnerable to
peer pressure the state has a duty to ensure that children are not coerced into using drugs. This
means that concerns of 'privacy' are secondary to protecting the choice not to take drugs, as
ensuring the 'privacy' of all students by not having random drug tests empowers some students to
socially coerce other students into using drugs when they otherwise would not.
Random drug tests help prevent cultures or norms of drug-taking (by which it can become the
'cool' thing to do) by ensuring that most drug users will be caught and helped to quit, thus
protecting the choice of others not to be pressured into drug use.
[1] Rosenbaum, Marsha. Safety First: A Reality-Based Approach to Teens and Drugs. Drug
Policy Alliance. January 1, 2007

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Counterpoint
None of these benefits apply if the peer pressure simply switches to harder drugs which are
harder to test for or less likely to be tested for.
Moreover, peer pressure can exist outside of schools, and amongst older teenagers who have the
choice to vary their attendance of sixth forms, FE colleges or senior high schools. Random drug
testing could lead to older children being pressured to cut classes for prolonged periods of time,
in order to take drugs, in order to be thought of as cool.
Teenagers are also notorious for believing that nothing bad can happen to me, even if that bad
thing becomes more likely (such as being caught with a random drugs test). This is demonstrated
by the fact that many teenagers already engage in illegal drug use despite the reasonably high
chances that an adult will see them using drugs, smell smoke or notice the drug's effects on them
in the status quo.[1]

[1] Grim, Ryan. Blowing Smoke: Why random drug testing doesn't reduce student drug use.
Slate. March 21, 2006.
http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2006/03/blowing_smoke.html

3. No harm to non drug-users

Point
Random drug tests will pose no harm to students who do not use illegal drugs, as they have
nothing to fear from this fact being certified. If anything it serves as a vindication of their lawabidance and good character.
Random drug tests will only catch those who are actively taking drugs, as tests can be used
which are unlikely to make a 'positive' reading from secondary exposure (for example, being
near someone else smoking cannabis).
Those actively taking drugs need help in getting off drugs far more urgently than they need their
right to 'privacy', as addiction at a young age could have a significant negative impact upon the
remainder of their time in education. Therefore, non-drug users have nothing to fear from testing.
As a result random checks are in the best interests of drug users.
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Counterpoint
Students who do not use illegal drugs do have something to fear - the violation of privacy and
loss of dignity caused by random drug tests. They may well feel that they are being treated as
under suspicion with no evidence or cause, and resent this imposition upon their privacy. Indeed,
the indignity of drugs testing may compel children who are already in a position of vulnerability
as a result of social marginalisation or personal or family problems to drop out of school entirely.
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Random drug testing in Schools

Conference notes that Tony Blair has announced plans to give head teachers the right to carry out
random drug tests on pupils in schools.
Conference believes:
1) that this proposal will be ineffective in deterring students from taking drugs. Instead evidence
from the US indicates that drug testing in schools does not deal with the problem of drug abuse

but can have negative effects, including encouraging them to take drugs which leave the body's
system more quickly than cannabis.
2) Emphasis should instead be placed on educating students about the dangers of drugs, legal and
illegal, and that students who misuse drugs should be helped not unduly punished.
3) Making teachers carry out drug tests will erode trust between them and students and will not
create the type of atmosphere in schools that is conducive to learning.
4) Some students, particularly black ones, who may be perceived as taking drugs may be targeted
for more testing, leading to greater alienation and less willingness to attend school.
Conference instructs GPEX to call upon the government not to allow random drug testing in
schools and encourage local Green Parties to oppose such tests at local and regional level.