It is known that since the 1960s drugs have had a presence in the surfing world. It is due to this, that debate over whether surfing is competitive or a creative outlet has been fought for numerous years.

Many surfers have lost their lives due to drug abuse, including Andy Irons. Irons was considered one of the greatest surfers of all time and a three time world champion. He overdosed and died alone in his hotel room last year.

The ASP stated to not have any knowledge regarding his drug problem. But Randy Rarick who is the Hawaiian event representative stated that “it’s been a long time coming,” referring to the drug tests.

Now, as a result of the latest board meeting ASP CEO, Brodie Carr has resigned and drug testing has been implemented. Carr decided to resign after what happened in the Kelly Slater world title announcement.

Slater was awarded the 2011 surfing world title, during the third round which was incorrect. Days later he was given the trophy, but only after round four.

Rarick stated that Carr wasn’t the only person to offer to resign, but he insisted that he be the one. According to Rarick, Carr told the board the “he’s an employee, he’s under me.”

Candidates have already applied for Carr’s position. “The press release hadn’t been out an hour and we were already getting applications,” Rarick said. His replacement will most likely be a business leader.

“Whether the guy surfs or not is not a prerequisite, but anybody who applies is going to be a surf enthusiast. I don’t think you’re going to see an ex pro surfer. We’re going to be looking for business and management skills.”

Hair drug testing fact #1

Hair drug tests are able to detect longer periods of time of drug use rather than blood, urine or saliva tests. This is due to urinalysis testing being able to detect substances only in the blood stream. In hair follicle testing traces of the substances can remain in your hair long after it has left your blood stream.

Hair drug testing fact #2

If you are bald or shave your head, you still are not off the hook for this test. They are able to use body hair from chest, armpits, or legs. Body hair is replaced annually, so the test results can only trace back to a year.

Hair drug testing fact #3

For every ½ inch of hair, the hair drug test can detect an average of 30 days of drug use. If longer hair is tested, the detection period can be up to two years of drug abuse.

Hair drug testing fact #4

Hair drug tests are able to detect marijuana, opiates, methamphetamines and phencyclidine.

Hair drug testing fact #5

It can take up to 10 days to receive the results of a hair follicle drug test.

Hair drug testing fact #6

A drug testing laboratory needs at least 50 strands of hair that is cut an inch from the crown of the head.

Drugged driving is considered to be anyone that is driving under the influence of any drug that impairs motor skills, reaction time and/or judgment. This is a huge concern because as is with drunk driving, not only does it put the driver at risk it also put other drivers and passengers who are sharing the road in danger.

Drugged driving laws have fallen behind due to restraints in the current technology for determining drug levels and impairment. For example, the legal consumed alcohol limit for this country is 0.08 percent because studies have shown that amounts greater than 0.08 percent have been proven to undermine driving performance. But for other drugs there is no agreed-upon limit for impairment. Also, due to some drugs staying in the body for weeks at a time determining current drug levels can be difficult to do.

A total of 44 States and the District of Columbia have begun Drug Evaluation and Classification Programs that train police officers to be Drug Recognition Experts. They are taught to detect certain characteristics in a person’s mood and appearance that could be a sign of drug abuse. If an officer suspects possible drug driving, the driver must submit a drug test, either through a blood or urine sample which will then be sent to a lab for results.

According to a 2007 National Roadside Survey conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) more than 16 percent of nighttime weekend drivers tested positive for illegal, prescription or over-the-counter medications. The numbers increased in 2009 when another NHTSA study found that among fatally injured drivers 18 percent tested positive for at least one type of drug. This is an increase from 13 percent in a 2005 study.

There are two main reasons for this. The first one is that due to the randomness of this testing, it serves to prevent and gives students a reason not to give into peer pressure. The second reason is that drug testing allows them to identify who is abusing drugs, and give them the intervention and treatment they need before drug abuse becomes worse.

The main purpose of having school drug testing is not to punish and attack a student who tests positive, but to be able to prevent future drug abuse. It also helps other students who are using to become drug free. Students who do test positive are referred to drug treatment programs by school administrator and parents to begin the recovery process.

Teenagers in high school are the most susceptible to drug abuse. Their brain and body are still developing, which the use of drugs can lead to unfavorable effects on the brain, body, mood and health.

Short term effects (including a single use) affects a person judgment and decision making, usually resulting in accidents, risky behavior and poor performance in school or extracurricular activities. Long term effects (after repeated drug abuse) lead to more serious problems. Poor grades, mood changes, social and family problems are some examples of characteristics of long term effects. Ultimately the repeated drug use can lead to addiction. Studies show that the younger a teen abuses drugs, the more likely they will develop a substance abuse problem or addiction. On the other hand, studies show that if teens stay away from drugs while in high school, they are less likely to have a substance abuse problem later in their life.

THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) is produced in the marijuana plant. Not every plant will contain the same amount. Conditions of the weather, soil and also the time of harvest affects the amount of THC within a marijuana plant. Since the 1970′s the potency of THC has increased. In the 70′s the amount of THC was 0.1%, today studies show it has increased to 7.8%.

When THC is inhaled or ingested the THC substance goes directly into the body’s fat cells. It takes minutes to enter the fat cells, but approximately two days for the fat cells to burn it off. Once it is burned off the THC is then released into the bloodstream. When the blood is filtered thru the kidney’s THC shows up in the urine, which is usually three days after the substance is ingested. This doesn’t mean that the THC is completely out of the body though. The blood can contain traces of THC anywhere from two to four weeks.

One could say that testing a blood sample could be the most effective method of THC detection, since the blood contains traces of THC for the longest amount of time. However, it has been shown in urine tests that traces can still be found 30 days after use.

The test uses immunoassay techniques. This technique is a biochemical test that can measure the concentration of a certain substance within a complex mixture. The THC drug test kit also contains monoclonal antibodies, which are cells that bind to a substance to detecting the substance.

The saliva drug test is able to detect drug use immediately following ingestion of the substance. The main drawback is that there is a short time frame of when this test is able to detect drugs. The main benefit is it can give you results before the drug has broken down into the body. A hair drug test offers a testing window of around three months. Out of all at-home tests available the hair drug test provides the longest history of drugs in the system. The sweat drug test is conducted by applying a patch to the subject that is worn for a week long period. Another benefit is sweat tests are very difficult to tamper with.

When performing drug tests, some people might want to remain anonymous, and are at times discouraged to send drug test to laboratories. To overcome these concerns a home drug testing kit is the perfect solution. The test can be performed in the comfort of the home or workplace. Home drug testing kits are also useful for parents suspecting or wanting to prevent their children from substance abuse.

Here is a list of some of the advantages of using home drug testing kits:

• Time efficient:  A home drug testing kit eliminates delays in time and stress, since the test and results are instant.  When sending the test to a laboratory, it can take days to receive results.
• Cost efficient: It provides quality screening without having to pay laboratory-testing fees.
• Simplicity: Home drug testing is extremely easy to administer. No training or other equipment is needed.
• Accuracy: The results are 99% accurate- creating a very small margin of error.
• Easy to read. Prevents a misreading of the test with the easy to read visual display.

Another bonus of home drug testing kits are that they can be used in a variety of different places including:

• Random drug screening for employees or pre-employment
• Halfway homes and drug rehab programs
• “Drug free” schools and workplaces
• Insurance exams
• Routine medical exams

The amount of time this metabolite has to be removed from the urine may be longer than generally thought. Several studies have shown that with chronic abusers- benzoylecgonine can be detected in the urine for longer periods of time than moderate users.

Currently urine drug tests required by many employers use the minimum cutoff levels suggested by the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) to determine a positive drug test. If an urine level results in 300 nanograms per milliliter (or 300 micrograms per liter) of benzoylecgonine, it is acknowledged as a positive outcome for cocaine use. Nonetheless, these levels could differ in the same person depending on when the test is conducted. The concentration of urine changes through out the day. Therefore the first sample taken in the beginning of the day will have the highest concentration of drug metabolites. As the day goes on the results will be significantly lower.

Since there are these variations in urine concentration, a positive test results can occur succeeding a negative test result, although no further cocaine was used. One way many people try to avoid a positive test result is by drinking large amounts of water to dilute their urine.  For this reason ideally a 24 hour sample should be taken. This could prove difficult in most work settings, which is why performing random drug tests are the best solution.

The average accepted time for benzoylecgonine to leave the system is around 3-5 days. One study does suggest that chronic users can test positive for up to eight days, while another study claims it can be detected for up 10-14 days.  The longest known period for a positive test to show levels of benzoylecgonine was 10-22 days. The test subject, who was a chronic user, had taken high doses of 112 grams per week.

Urine drug testing is the best option when testing for regular marijuana use. A saliva drug test can be used to detect immediate intoxication of marijuana, such as for work place accidents and/or injuries.

The THC metabolites that are stored in fat can remain in the body anywhere from 20 hours up to 10-13 days. Although evidence suggests that the amount remaining in the body depends on how often the person smokes, the amount they smoke, and how long they have been using.

In a regular user, positive drug tests have be recorded up to 45 days after the last use. Heavy smokers have tested positive for up to 90 days after quitting.

The marijuana urine test is very effective. Often a positive result is tested again using a gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (GCMS), which is much more precise than basic urine panels. It is due to the GCMS as to why false positives are uncommon.

On the contrary for urban legends regarding drug tests, there are no substances that can turn a marijuana drug test negative into a positive. In the past there have been cases where Advil, Motrin and other over-the-counter medicine would turn a negative result into a positive result. The drug testing companies have since change the chemical composition of the tests to correct that problem.

Home drug testing kits are one way to give your child an excuse to say no.

This method of drug testing is used in the privacy of your own home, at any time the parent feels necessary. By simply having  a home drug testing kit in the house can prevent drug use from happening, or simply assure you that your child is not abusing drugs. While some teenagers might feel this is an extreme measure, you the parent know it is out of love. If explained honestly to your child the risks of drug use and the dangers that it presents, they will come to understand. Keeping an open dialog with your child is key to recognizing peer pressure when it happens. And studies show- it will happen.

When testing teenagers three types of tests are used. The standard drug test, an alcohol test and also a tobacco test. This gives you a broad range of substances that they are pressured into. These days’ teens believe that putting illegal drugs into their bodies has no consequences. Given the statistics these are the real consequences;

• The United States spends more than $58 billion a year for underage drinking costs
• Teens who abuse alcohol have a 50% greater chance of consuming cocaine.
• Alcohol kills over more than 6 times underage drinkers than all illegal drugs do (usually through serious accidents)
• 60% of students say they know about drugs that are kept, used or sold at their school.
• In the past 30 days, 50% of teenagers have been drinking, with 32% being drunk.

Teenagers also find themselves in trouble with the law, due to the effects of drug use. Teen arrestees’ regularly test positive for drug use with  The National Institute of Justices Arrestee and Drug Monitoring System finding that 66% of underage male arrestees tested positive for marijuana.

If you have or know any child that is struggling with drug and/or substance abuse please get them the help they need in order to help turn their life around. It is this type of caring that can put an end to teenager experimentation that can lead to a life of addiction, an accident, rehab, jail or worse.

The participating schools are hoping that giving random drug tests will scare students from doing drugs. If a student tests positive they will be forced to seek treatment before the substance abuse gets worse in their life.

Young and teenage students who do have drug abuse problems are hurting many other people besides themselves physically. Drug abuse in schools affects the teaching environment, other students, family, friends and anyone they come in contact with.

The purpose of conducting student drug testing is not to discipline the student, but to help them. Counseling and follow-up screening would result in hopes to intervene before the drug problem gets out of hand. The positive testing drug abusers can also be refereed to substance treatment programs to start a recovery process.

Although some might argue that school drug testing could be considered harassing teenagers and an invasion of privacy, the truth is that teens are vulnerable and susceptible to drug abuse. The choices they make in high school affects their future in ways they can’t yet imagine. If a teen decides to do ingest mind altering substances, the more likely it is that student will develop an addiction or permanently damage their brain. Likewise, studies show that teens that do not do drugs are less likely to have a drug abuse problem later in their life.

Studies have been conducted and although random drug testing has not made schools 100% drug free, the numbers are decreasing.

There are several methods that schools use to test students. It is up to the school to decide what type sample collection would work best for them. The standard student drug testing method screens urine for the following five substances: marijuana, cocaine, opioids, amphetamines, and PCP. The other methods of collection are hair, sweat or a saliva drug test.