In previous eras, the issue of drug abuse in schools was thought to be a problem for only a fringe element of students, but today we know that even successful student-athletes can fall prey to the dangers of addiction. The pressures which come from balancing academics and athletics can combine to push a student-athlete into drug abuse. While this problem used to be relatively unnoticed, new drug testing programs enacted at high schools and universities around the country have begun targeting drug abuse by student-athletes.

The goal of these testing programs is to provide strict rules for participation in student athletics, with the aim being to provide students with a tangible consequence for experimenting with illicit substances. Knowing that most student-athletes value their team participation very highly, it is believed that student-athlete drug testing will prove to be a highly successful deterrent. The long term benefits of student-athlete drug testing are also important, because athletic competition is a pursuit which will stay with an individual long after their time in school has ended. If a student-athlete learns to avoid drug abuse early on in life, the chances that they will remain drug free are significantly increased.

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