Drug Dilemma - Naomi Censullo

High school–a time of firsts. Your first drive, kiss, heartbreak and for some–your first hit. In a society where alcoholism and drug use is promoted in pop culture, one may find it difficult to let the blunt pass by without giving it a try. Whether it was your grandparents in the 60s or your parents in the 80s, drug use has long been associated with a right of passage in adolescence. Although it may seem like a long-standing program, student drug testing is a recent implementation. Concerns from parents, current students and alumni about drug use in society pushed administrators to institute random urinalysis testing of students in 2013 in an effort to protect students, according to Dean of Students Anthony Thomas, who is in charge of discipline for students with positive test results. As a response to students who reported that the urinalysis test still allowed loopholes for use of illegal substances, the administration instituted random hair testing along with the preexisting urinalysis in 2016. “[Nurse Cheryl Minor, Ms. Sherry Boyten, former counselor, and I] were just a few of the people involved,” Dean Thomas said. “There was a table of 20-30 adults which consisted of Upper School administration, teachers, parents, doctors, lawyers, DEA agents and board members. We went through a laundry list of schools and companies who were already testing and settled on Spec Group Inc, who does our urine testing, and Sigmatics, who does our hair testing.” According to Dean Luke Underwood, the purpose of hair testing is to end student drug use and provide a valid excuse for students who feel peer pressured. Dean Underwood said many alumni wished they had help saying no in high school and felt as though the school should provide a reason students could utilize to say no to drugs without feeling backlash from their peers. In 2017, through a set of “unexpected and unusual circumstances,” the school caught six underclassmen participating in either the sale, purchase, possession or use of Xanax on campus, Dr. Stuart Gulley, President, said. The news spread quickly throughout the community. It surprised members of the community that students as young as freshmen and sophomores participated in drug use at all, let alone while at school. The administration decided to start the drug testing process in the eighth grade to combat drug usage early on. “The longer the delay of experimentation with drugs and alcohol occurs, the less likely for damage to the brain,” Dr. Gulley said. “This drug testing effort to us, in addition to the education, is a very responsible way to try to protect that brain development for students by hoping they will say no to drug use.” According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, drug use as a teen greatly affects the development of the body and the way the brain finishes growing. Starting drugs as an adolescent greatly increases the chances of addiction as an adult. “We felt that if we really were serious about [the drug testing program] being a deterrent in giving students a legitimate reason to say ‘no,’ then we had nothing to lose by adding the hair testing as a supplement to the urine testing,” Dr. Gulley said. In 2013, the most common drug used by new illicit drug users, 54.1 percent of which are under the age of 18, was marijuana, according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA). NIDA designates marijuana as a “gateway drug,” defined as “a habitforming drug that, while not itself addictive, may lead to the use of other addictive drugs.” Implementing both urine and hair tests may seem inefficient since they both screen for the same drugs, but there are differences between the tests. “With the urinalysis, there is a smaller window for active drug use whereas with follicle testing, it is about six months,” Dean Underwood said. “If you do anything in the six month period, it is going to show up in that hair follicle. That was the point, to take away that loophole of two months in summer.” Hair testing cannot detect drug use within the 5-10 days prior to the test because hair has yet to grow a substantial amount during

Parents have the option to opt-in to additional testing for alcohol and nicotine for their children. If they choose to optin, the results of the alcohol and nicotine testing are sent only to them and not to the school and will not factor into a student’s disciplinary record.

that time, a problem urinalysis testing Once the sample is bagged and sent to the companies claim these methods have no solves. lab, a two-tiered testing process begins. effect on the outcome of the test. An important thing to know about If, after the first test, the sample comes There have been multiple accounts the drug tests is that they do not test for back positive, it will be tested again for of students saying they simply skipped specific drugs like cocaine or marijuana. confirmation. their scheduled hair test. According Instead, the test looks for key components For students with braids and weaves, to Dean Thomas, if it is clear that the of illegal drugs. For marijuana, the test hair sample collection is tricky because the student is trying to evade the test, then it is looks for the presence of THC. Students required amount of natural hair for testing considered a positive strike against them in that use CBD oils and items like that is more difficult to acquire. the testing protocol. may still be in danger of testing positive “There are usually areas where there is For positive drug tests, there is a because although CBD should not contain natural hair, typically at the root,” Dean mandatory two-strike policy. The first signifigant amonts of THC, some CBD Thomas said. “We have had students who strike leads to counseling with a qualified products contain trace amounts of THC have had their hair unbraided and braided substance abuse specialist who may that might show up on the test. In order again. We just make that adjustment on determine that rehab is necessary. A to prevent a possible positive test, students a case by case basis. It may be that if the doctor must give the student a clearance are advised to not use any CBD products. weave is planning to be removed soon, we in order to return to school. Those with a A nicotine and alcohol test has recently wait until then. We are reasonable about positive result are randomly tested at least been added, and parents can choose to opt it.” three times a year for the remainder of into those tests. There have been some false rumors their high school career. The second strike In terms of the selection of students for circulating that not every sample is sent results in an immediate dismissal from the drug testing, the deans do not make the list to the lab in an effort to save money. school. of students, but a third party hired by the According to Thomas, every hair sample “We are just trying to help kids get drug testing company. The deans through here, so they can go to send a list of current students to “You should be able to be here, college and be very successful,” this third party company, and they use computer software to randomly be safe and not worried about Dean Underwood said. Surveys were sent out in 2016, generate a list of names of students drugs. [High school] should be a when the hair testing commenced, to be tested. That list is sent to the school, and the selected students are place where you can come and be in 2018, after two years of implementation, and in 2019, three tested. The same process is followed a kid.” -Dean Underwood years after implementation. The for the drug testing of teachers. anonymous surveys asked students’ While reporting on this article, opinions on drug testing, the I heard much confusion from students taken is sent, tested and confirmed to prevalence of drug use at Woodward and questioning whether the deans are in ensure that nothing falls through the whether or not they have used or would control of this selection process. Contrary cracks. consider using drugs. Approximately 25% to commonly held beliefs of students, the Dean Thomas said drug testing of the student body responded to each deans do not pick and choose suspicious helps students “make proper decisions,” survey. The results showed that reports of students to be tested; it is a random luck of although he said he can assume that drug use more than halved in less than two the draw. students have tried to find ways to years. While the decrease in reported drug The cost of hair testing is another topic continue using drugs without testing use could be attributed to many factors, many students question. How expensive positive on the urine test. there seems to be a positive coorelation is it and does it have any effect on the Since The Blade started writing this between hair testing and reduced drug use. tuition? The answer to that is: not at all. piece, many students have asked questions “You should be able to be here, be According to Dean Thomas, the majority about the drug testing process and safe and not worried about drugs,” Dean of the cost of drug testing is covered suggested ways they thought worked to get Underwood said. “[High school] should be by insurance, and the price difference around the testing. By using psychedelics a place where you can come and be a kid.” between the hair test and urinalysis test or designer drugs that supposedly do not Addie Riviere ‘20 said the school does is extremely small. Dean Thomas said he show up on a regular drug test or special a great job preventing drug use by scaring was not at liberty to state specific prices. shampoos or pills to create a false negative, the students to not do drugs, especially The steps for hair testing prevent any students try to find any way to cheat their those who keep in mind the repercussions contamination and thus, a false positive or way out of a positive. It is not proven, of their actions on their peers and family. negative on the test. Per Quest Diagnostics but many websites articles explain that “If I were to get caught, it would be policy, another hair testing company, damaging the follicle is the best way to very embarrassing for the faculty, my peers industry standard dictates the sample be pass the test. Natural damage occurs to the and especially my parents to find out,” collected as easily as possible and with the follicle through normal daily routine like Riviere said. “And I think that us learning least amount of contact with anything that brushing or shampooing your hair, and about drugs–knowing how it affects our could affect the testing. An approximate further damage can be caused by coloring, bodies and how it is really not good for our 1.4 inch long sample of hair is needed bleaching and cutting your hair. Although health–prevent us from doing drugs for to perform the test accurately, and it can some websites claim this damage is a way multiple reasons.” be taken from anywhere on the scalp. around the testing, verified hair testing

How It Works

The science behind the efficacy of hair testing is simple.

“A hair drug test uses a hair sample, typically from the hair’s root, to screen for drug use,” according to the website for Concentra Lab. “When someone uses drugs, the substance is absorbed into the bloodstream. Because each hair follicle has a blood vessel to feed the hair growth cells, the drugs are carried from the blood into the hair follicle. Traces of drugs can then be detected in the hair follicle.”

Hair testing companies test for illegal substances using panels that can be customized to what the company or school is looking for. The panels do not test for the specific drugs but for key components of drugs such as cocaine, opiates, amphetamines, PCP and marijuana.

DID YOU KNOW?

Urinalysis testing can detect drug use within the past 5-10 days whereas follicle testing can test for drug use within the past six months.

in 2016

5% of students surveyed had been hair tested

in 2019

47% of students surveyed had been hair tested

88%

said they had not used drugs

95%

said they had not used drugs

The history behind this article...

This article started four years ago the when hair drug testing policy was first instituted. It was passed from staff member to staff member, so we could follow its impact on student drug use. Starting in 2016, the entire student body was sent an anonymous survey that has been sent out every year since. The survey questioned students about how they felt about follicle testing, whether or not they have or know someone who has used drugs and if drug testing would deter them from using in the future. The deans, President Stuart Gulley, and other administrators and faculty were interviewed multiple times over the course of four years. A special thank you to the late Erin Edwards ‘17, who started this work, and the staff writers who continued it: Nija Packer ‘18, Maddie Ledet ‘18 and Jayden Khatib ‘19.