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Random Drug Testing Not Reliable in Keeping Teen Athletes from Using |
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From Oregon Health & Science University : Random drug and alcohol testing does not reliably keep student-athletes from using. In fact, the mere presence of drug testing increases some risk factors for future substance use, Oregon Health & Science University researchers report. Their findings are published in the November issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health, the journal of the Society for Adolescent Medicine. The study, named SATURN (Student Athlete Testing Using Random Notification), is the first-ever prospective, randomized clinical trial to assess the deterrent effects of drug and alcohol testing among high school athletes. "As a result of this study, drug testing is better understood. Although drug testing did not appear to reduce school sport participation as some had suggested it would, it did not reduce past 30-day drug or a combination of drug and alcohol use, and only intermittently lowered past year use. The two-year study was conducted in 11 high schools within 150 miles of Portland, Ore. Participating schools were randomly assigned to one of two study groups: schools that designed and implemented a drug and alcohol testing policy; and schools that had designed a policy but agreed to defer their policy drug testing until the study had concluded. If an athlete tested positive for drug use, the results were reported to parents or guardians, and counseling was mandatory. Goldberg and Elliot are co-creators and promoters of two drug prevention and health promotion education programs for teen athletes that do not use drug testing. These programs are the result of National Institute on Drug Abuse-funded studies initiated prior to the SATURN drug testing study.
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