Student Drug Testing
Our extensive testing services get results to ensure students remain drug free.
Statistics
Alcohol use in teenagers has decreased in recent years. Statistics from 2012 to 2015 show that current use of alcohol declined from 11% to 9.7% among 8th graders, from 27.6% to 21.5% among 10th graders, and from 41.5% to 35.3% among high school seniors. There has been a significant decrease in binge drinking in 2015 among high school seniors, which is now under 20 percent after peaking in 1998 at 31.5 percent. The binge drinking rate represents the percentage of students who reported consuming 5 or more drinks in a row sometime within the last two weeks.
Statistics from 2012 to 2015 show that current use of marijuana remain steady among 8th graders at 6.5%, 10th graders has declined from 17% to 14.80% and 12th graders has declined from 22.9% to 21.30%. The survey also revealed that marijuana is frequently consumed as an edible, which is more prevalent among states with medical marijuana. Specifically of the 12th graders who consumed marijuana in the past year, 40 percent of them reported having consumed it in an edible form in the medical marijuana states versus 26 percent in non-medical marijuana states.
Studies are showing a decrease in the use of synthetic marijuana, also known as K2 or "Spice". In 2015, 5.2% of high school seniors reported use of synthetic marijuana, which is a decrease from the 11.3 percent reported in 2012.
Unfortunately, the easiest location for teenagers to find controlled substances is in the family medicine cabinet. Roughly 68% of high school seniors reported getting prescription pain relievers and other narcotics free from friends and family.
*Statistics from NIDA Monitoring the Future Survey, Overview of Findings 2015
Education
The reasons for drug use are varied. Children may use drugs to satisfy their curiosity, conform to peer-pressure, relieve anxiety, or have an adventure. But, whatever tempts them, we must teach children to reject drugs because drug use is illegal, harmful to their health, and interferes with academic and social development. (Kid Source Online)
Prevention
Student drug testing should be used for prevention. Our student programs can be done by instant drug screen methods or lab-based testing.
Instant urine drug screens test for the following commonly abused drugs:
- Amphetamine
- Barbiturates
- Benzodiazepines
- Cocaine
- Marijuana
- Methamphetamine
- Opiate
- Phencyclidine
Lab-based student drug screens are usually a seven panel test including the following drugs:
- Amphetamines
- Barbiturates
- Benzodiazepines
- Cocaine
- Marijuana
- Opiates
- Phencyclidine
National Medical Inc. can add an additional panel(s) on lab-based testing for K-2 (Spice) and bath salts.