Should Middle School Students be Drug Tested - Essay Example

English 04 November Should Middle School be Drug Tested? Middle school children may use drugs for various reasons, such as getting additional strength for sports activities and games, or getting inspiration or getting rid of fear during stage performance like drama etc. While using rub or spray perfumes, the particles of substances may penetrate into the body as well as the metabolic system, and it may entail adverse effects in the functioning of mind and body. Thesis statement: Drug testing among middle school children can reduce the probability of drug abuse, health problems, and may help students to face reality without fear, and at the same time, this should not be in the form of intimidation, violation of rights or individual freedom. Arguments in Favor of Drug Testing: First of all, drug abuse largely affects the future life of the children in all means. The outcome of its adversity cannot be assessed at the initial stage of direct or indirect consumption of substance. But diagnosis at the earliest can minimize its catastrophic effects through awareness imparting process by which one can abstain from further abuse of drugs. Otherwise, it may generate several problems to the users, to their family and the community itself. Lack of mental stability and restlessness may lead into personality disintegration of the user and, therefore, they may fail to take right decision as per the demands of the life situations. One who frequently consumes drugs and substances like sedatives may lose control over his or her behavior and this may extend to become a social problem. Drug addiction among school children may badly reflect in their academic performance as well as their overall understanding, and may force them to be at a below average. According to the estimation of eminent psychiatric experts of America, substance use may stretch forth the user from basic responsibilities as a social being. Recurrent substance use is seen to lead to a “failure” in fulfilling major responsibilities and roles at “work, school or home” (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 483). Furthermore, due to the recurrent usage, drug addiction will occur, and the individual will continue substance abuse not taking into account various “persistent or recurrent social” as well as “interpersonal” problems that have been caused (483). Personal and familial disorganization and dissociation are the other outcomes related to drug abuse. Even the initial consumption and use of the drug may result in health problems like insomnia, excitement, gastrointestinal disturbance and psychomotor agitation and so on. Drug users and addicts usually deliver poor social responsibility, hesitate to cooperate with others, their intellectual levels may decrease day by day, they may feel inferiority complex, minimize sociability, and may express fear when facing others. The American Psychiatric Association stated that the quantity of the substance determines the degrees and magnitude of effect on user, and they assert that a “mild substance use disorder” occurs when there is a presence of “two to three” symptoms, whereas for “moderate” it is “four to five,” and, in the case of “severe,” the symptoms exceed by six (528). Authentic observations apprized that the first taste of drugs usually begins at a tender age and moves horizontally into adulthood, however, nobody foresees this outcome of the drug abuse during the initial experience with those hazardous substances. Therefore, the school authorities and the parents have the right to promote and facilitate drug testing among middle school students because this issue is largely becoming a social responsibility now. Arguments against Drug Testing: Drug testing among middle school students is not universally approved because school managements and parents usually give consent to do so but they may not bother about the misuse of medical examination without the readiness and willingness of the clients. Most children at school may not know about drug or substance abuse, therefore, school authorities are likely not to use any of means to impel students into the process. Above all, the need of drug test is to be backed by medical enquiry and guidelines. The school authorities, sports coaches and teachers are targeted to their undelivered role behind the curtain, as many social organizations and human rights activists have indicated this fact in the name of humanity and named them atrocities against the venerable section of people, that is, children. One cannot prove that all symptoms of intoxication or related problems are linked with drug abuse. For instance, students may eat sweets, candy and beverages through which foreign substances may spread into their body, but even though they are innocent in the matter of drug usage, their drug test result may prove to be positive, and thus, the students would be condemned by the school authority. As a result, the accused, thereafter, becomes a notorious face and an object, which attracts frequent harassment and humiliation. As observed by Falkowski, some marketed edible products bearing intoxicant substances dangerous to the health of people especially the younger ones such as sweets and ice-creams etc are “largely unregulated,” and that an increasing number of products that target children and youngsters seek to evoke in them “intoxicating and euphoric effects” (241). In addition to this, the particular student may feel loneliness, and gradually succumb to as well as start liking solitude. The extreme helplessness and unfriendly situations may pull them back even from performing their daily routine. Besides, compulsion over students of tender age can be considered as the violation of their basic rights. Students have the right to be considered human beings, equivalent to the adult people while considering their rights and the right to privacy as established by the constitution. Thus, assuming the role of patrons over the rights of children is simply unacceptable. As per the universal laws of human rights, each and every individual, irrespective of their age and other external faculty, have equal right to live without disturbance, but with full dignity. For instance, The American Academy of Pediatric continues to believe and assert that children and adolescents “should not” be tested for drug abuse “without” their “knowledge and consent” (Testing for Drugs of Abuse in Children and Adolescents: Addendum – Testing in Schools and at Home 627). Therefore, a middle school student also has his or her own freedom to choose or not choose to go ahead with the drug testing without the permission of any of the authority or the supervisor. In short, drug-testing attempts should be avoided in the middle school context. Discussion: The consumption of drugs and substance may bring up several health problems, that is, problems relating to mental as well as physiological spheres. The most diagnosed symptom that can be seen among drug-addicted individuals is their irrational fear to face social situations. Within this context, they may try to avoid such circumstances or they deliver poor responsibility or may exhibit irritation, and they usually exhaust temperament or may become inattentive. But on the other side, the attempt to drug testing among middle school students may lead into some kind of intimidation over them through compulsion by the adults fir their involvement and full participation in such medical examinations. Without prior consent and voluntary readiness on part of the children, this sort of attempt should be considered as an aggression over their human rights as well as their specific rights as children. Therefore, drug testing initiative form the side of school authorities is generally considered as an encroachment upon freewill and individual liberty. Similarly, prior permission on demands of the parents or the guardian also should be regarded as infliction against their individuality in contrast with their readiness and full-heart consent because one cannot suspect the student community based on less solid evidence. The proponents of drug testing among middle school students point out that such testing is a preventive measure to take early precaution to avoid problems that may occur in the future. They emphasize many reasons that support their contention, and for them drug testing is a better means to understand the involvement of students with those hazardous substances and thus, even alert their parents in general. In addition, school management also can take further actions to reduce the severity of the problem. But the counter advocacy refutes this assertion, because most of the students never consume drugs and such related substances, and just for a minor portion of the students, the majority become scapegoats in the process. But the former protest this contention and present their further assertion that the early detection of the problem at the initial stage is helpful to tackle the problem in a better and easier way, and that early intervention would be helpful to take more preventive measures. Therefore, drug testing can avoid late perceptions and help children from risking their very lives. But those who oppose drug testing are afraid of the fact that, the same may disturb the individual freedom of the students and that the authorities may fail to take into account that the investigation is like a disguised breech against their freedom to differ and non-participate. Finally, the supporters argue that so many maladjustment problems are just waiting to occur during their academic tenure and at the future due to their involvement with those hazardous drugs. Drug testing among middle school children can reduce the probability of drug abuse, because they are both physically and mentally in the growing stages, and thus, it is possible to fall in inappropriate relationships due to their immaturity and lack of cautions against future consequences. When considering the said grounds, drug testing among middle school students is a risk folding and law-abiding process, and many well meant upholders persist for the same. Therefore, the testing must be conducted to detect the presence or the absence of drugs in their body and metabolism. But it will lead to other problems related to the basic human rights and individual freedom of the students. To be specific, drug testing among middle school students should be followed under certain degrees of ethical guidelines, which may help to ensure the unique feature of each individual and dignity, irrespective of their life experience and age category. In short, an empathetic approach may be helpful to understand their inner feelings, therefore, a consensus would be forged between both sides of the arguments. To sum up, the presence of drugs and substance in human body is a major threat to the general functions of the body and its particles may induce anti-social behaviour, which may generate further problems in the society. Besides, the school authorities are responsible to protect students from external influence, including drugs. But drug testing among middle school students should be followed under certain degrees of ethical guidelines, which ensure the uniqueness and dignity of each individual irrespective of their life experience and age category. In this sense, drug testing among middle school students can reduce the probability of substance abuse and allied problems in consideration with the raised apprehensions inherent with the individual freedom, human rights and precaution against all kinds of intimidation and inflictions. Works Cited Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. USA: American Psychiatric Association, 2013. Fakowski, Carol L. Dangerous Drugs: An Easy-to-Use Reference for Parents and Professionals (2nd ed.). USA: Hazelden Foundation. 2003. Print. “Testing for Drugs of Abuse in Children and Adolescents: Addendum – Testing in Schools and at Home.” Pediatrics Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics 119.3 (2007): 626-631. Print. Read More