Drug survey set for board review

Student questionnaire will guide decision on testing

By:Donna Lukiw
   The Hillsborough Board of Education may review the results of the student drug-use survey at Monday’s meeting.
   The American Alcohol and Drug Survey was completed in late February after board members determined the survey was needed to evaluate whether the high school should set up random drug testing.
   "Ideally, it would be nice for the results to indicate that Hillsborough’s students realize the dangers and negative impact of using drugs or alcohol and choose not to engage in such use," Principal Doug Poye said. "Realistically, we are a large high school and there is no high school that does not have students experimenting with these substances."
   The Hillsborough School District began considering random drug testing for high school students about two years ago. Last fall, the school sought parental permission to have a minimum of 1,260 Hillsborough High School students participate in an American Alcohol and Drug Survey, administered by Rocky Mountain Behavioral Science Institute Inc. (RMBSI).
   The survey provides information to help school districts and communities understand the nature and extent of local substance use in the area and the schools. The survey results can help assess community needs, evaluate prevention programs and analyze trends in substance use over time.
   School officials said the survey results will guide decisions on random drug testing for the students, changing the current lesson plans about drugs and alcohol, or revising school drug policies.
   Board member David Kanaby said about 1,400 students participated in the survey.
   The 55 questions in the survey include such questions as "Have you ever gotten drunk?" "How old were you the first time you got drunk?" "Have you every used marijuana?" and "Have you every used drugs or alcohol alone?"
   According to RMBSI, professionals who are coordinating or implementing prevention programs use the information daily when working directly with youth. The firm says "it is much easier to talk effectively with students about drugs when you already know which drugs the students in your school are using, and what their beliefs and attitudes about drugs are."
   "We started to investigate the random drug testing as a precautionary measure. It is not to say we have a drug problem, but thought we should move forward with the survey to see what the data says," Mr. Kanaby said.