The debate over random student drug testing in high schools has often been a contentious one, but today the consensus is that school drug testing programs are a highly effective deterrent to drug abuse. School districts which have implemented drug testing programs have reported tremendous success in the reduction of student drug use. Simply put, students who know they will be tested for drugs will overwhelmingly make the correct choice and abstain from using illicit substances. The popularity of school drug testing programs has steadily increased; with school administrators across the country taking notice of drug testing’s ability to deter students from falling into dangerous addictions.

In 2007, White House drug czar John Walters stated that  “testing is the single most important step schools can take, and it’s becoming increasingly hard to dismiss administrators who say that testing works for them and can be done fairly cost effectively.” While students in schools without drug testing programs inevitably feel the brunt of peer pressure, random drug testing provides a legitimate reason to live a drug free life. Today there are more than 1,000 middle schools and high schools in America which conduct random drug testing, and the number is expected to increase steadily as the benefits of school drug testing become evident.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/2007-05-07-edit_n.htm