7 Reasons Parents Should Not Test Kids for Drug Use

Reader Comments
Back to article

I am the mom of a drug addict. I put my son into treatment and he was still able to fool the professionals. He was able to predict when he would be drug tested. I found that drug testing at home in addition to the treatment center was very helpful. When I surprised him with a drug test that screened for 12 different drugs I found out that he was using much stronger drugs than I realized. If the kids don't like it so what. They don't like a lot of things but it is our job as a parent to protect them as much as possible from drugs. Drug testing my kids at home along with going to a treatment center has worked very well for me.
For the people that say that marijuana is a plant to justify their drug use. That is the lamest reason. Heroin comes from a plant and no one tries to justify their heroin use be saying it comes from a plant. Poison ivy is a plant but I am not going to go roll around in it.

Susan of WV 6:52PM May 21, 2013

For parents:
This is a great article, it was very informative and a compelling story which made me think. Although this is an interesting new perspective and very true, you must be careful, as there is a new scheme that drug testing labs are using to rip you/your insurance company off. The drug tests should cost about 30$, and it is important you check with your insurance (or online statements) to make sure that this is all the are charging you; my son was recently drug tested (several times) in a matter of a month, and my insurance was charged over $1,000 per drug test ($30 per strip, not $30 per test). This is obviously illegal and I was being defrauded. Anyways, the total came to about $12,000 on top of his treatment bills which are quite hefty as is. When I had trouble with his medical insurance the following year, I quickly found out this was the reason and reported the company immediately. After doing some research I found out the Federal government, many states, and about 10,000 individuals were already suing the company for the same exact scam. Again I in no way mean to slight the article, just a heads up to the parents; do your research and be careful, there are wolves in sheepskin... good luck!

The_Teacher of CA 5:13PM February 12, 2013

Wow, I'm sure this story touches the hearts of many parents and I agree with the writers, don't wait until it is too late to act. Some signs are not as detectable and may never show. I'd really encourage parents to also look into smart phone monitoring. I have heard stories of how software like Phone Sheriff or Mobile Spy led parents down the right path to help their children. Do what ever it takes to keep our kids safe as possible.

Ryan of FL 10:10AM November 06, 2012

Let's all just thank God that drug testing didn't put great people like Abraham Lincoln, Steve Jobs, George W. Bush, Bill Gates, Donald Trump, Barack Obama, Usain Bolt, Many of the fore fathers, and Carl Sagan, just to name a few, behind bars, but wait I thought smoking cannabis automatically turned you into a hopeless drug addict? Do some research guys, it's just a plant, a thought provoking, disease curing, recreational plant with many economic and industrial benefits.

Cobie of NE 2:55AM June 10, 2012

adding one more thing to my previous comment. If the kid resents the drug tests then that's not a good thing. However, I still think it's needed for some kids. What's better is to again have a good relationship with your kids and an understanding where they trust you too. I'm assuming some people use the kits because they have lost that relationship. If so, find out the truth, but when you do, do not turn your house into a nazi prison camp for the kid. Again, from what I said in the previous post, your first goal is to gain your kids trust. Not just about drug tests, but about other things. If you are a non caring parent they will know that. Instead show them you care about everything they care about (if you do). Again, try to get to root of the problems and not just that they took some drugs. Fix the root and the rest usually falls into place. If you need to, get professional help. Never let the kid feel humiliated or hurt. And remember they may be sad inside. Punishing them for already being sad is not the solution. It takes work. There is no easy fix. Just keep at it.

woosh234 of FL 4:55AM May 26, 2012

There is nothing wrong with home drug tests. It's what the parent does or doesn't do beyond this that matters. If they rely on it and simply discipline the child to force them to stop, they are lost as parents. You need to know what your kid is doing, then after you learn that, you try to treat the ROOT CAUSE of the problem. Purely disciplining them will not help. Most people use drugs to control their state when they are unhappy in a sense. They don't need to be fully unhappy, but if they are using drugs because they aren't quite happy with their life, making them stop will not suddenly made them happy. Instead it will put a burden on them. It could be a lost girlfriend/boyfriend, or that they aren't happy with their own friends, or they worry about their future thinking they won't make it etc. Sure there are some well adjusted kids that will use drugs 1,2, three times and quit, but notice they don't depend on drugs to fill in the void in their life. It's the kids that are always looking for the next drug high that are in need of help. Forcing them to stop will make them resent it.
Instead, you need to get to the bottom of what makes your kid feel like they do. And to do that, you need to have a bond, and they need to trust you enough to open up their feelings and tell you what is on their minds. If you have no bond with your child, you're missing the most important part.
I think the parents that simply threaten their kids with punishments are the most likely to lose the battle. Instead, let them know you care about them and warn them about drug abuse. But at the same time, work towards positive reinforcement and rewards for ALL the good things your kid does. This goes a lot further than saying, "Do it again, and I'll kick you to the curb buddy!". The goal is that they should NOT want to do all these drugs in order to be happy. And sometimes, calling a professional psychiatrist can be the best thing. As long as the kid does not feel put down. Your goal is to be your kids best friend! Not someone they dread seeing when you show up.
My parents knew I drank some here and there and they warned me, but said they trusted I wouldn't do anything stupid. Believe it or not, that works 9 times out of 10. But with some kids is more complex and they have issues, needs etc. Every single person needs to feel important, special and loved. Without those things, pain ensues, and with that the increased likelihood of substance abuse. A well adjusted, kid with future goals that is happy will rarely risk everything to take drugs. Maybe they'd try them a couple times out of curiosity, but again most well adjusted kids will not turn into druggies. And most do not want to. If a kid does, he's again doing it because of underlying issues or pain. Go to the ROOT of the cause first and usually everything else will fall into place. And don't act like police parents..

woosh234 of FL 4:44AM May 26, 2012

Hindsight is 20-20, but had they used our product that tests for 12 different drugs, they would have detected the change in drugs that David was using.
The professionally administered tests referenced in the article are mostly the very cheapest product on the market to maximize the profits of the labs. Our product includes lab confirmations that show the amount of drugs in the systems of kids like David.
I stongle disagree with Sharon Levy who does not recommend parents using home drug tests and her statement "[They're] going to be misled.". That is a crazy statement. What parent out there does not want to know what their kids are doing; it is called early detection and prevention. Sure it is not a cure, but the parents can monitor and watch. If Ms Levy has children, she has probably used a thermometer when her child is suspected of having a fever. If the thermometer "tests positive" for a fever, she can take correct and responsible action. Thermometers and home drug tests are the same concept; they alert the parent to the problem.
I respectfully disagee with all seven reasons "experts" say drug testing should be left to professionals:
1 - It can become a missed opportunity. Wrong. It's a great opportunity for early detection.
2 - It's easy to cheat. Wrong. The best home drug tests come with a temperature strip, and if adulterated, the test shows invalid.
3 - False positives can mislead you. True, but only with cheap, turn 'em and burn em foreign made home drug tests. Make sure the home drug test you use is OTC approved, FDA cleared and made in the USA.
4 - Some tests are confusing. True, but easiest to read home drug test kit on the market has only one drug per strip showing two lines for negative, one line for positive and no line for invalid.
5 - They give you limited information. True, but information from a home drug test is more than a blind assumption.
6 - And they can be costly. Wrong, what price can you put on your child's sobriety?
7 - You're a parent, not the police. True, but when the police enter the picture, it's probably too late.
Net Net bottom line, if you have a hint that your child is using, they probably are. Get ours or another home drug test kit. Some of our customers don't even use them. They have the conversation with their child and simply have the kit placed on the mantle as a subtle reminder that they can be tested ANYTIME.

TeenSavers Home Drug Test Kit of CA 2:16PM March 28, 2012

This article was written by a moron. Parents need to get into their children's business as much as possible when it comes to what they do, where and when they do it, and with whom. The greatest advantage of routine mandatory testing is that it gives a kid a perfect out to say no to overwhelming peer pressure. They can blame their abstinence on crazy drug testing parents.

Bruce (drug court judge) of LA 12:04AM January 04, 2012

All those conditions you listed, if you do your research, can be treated with marijuana. Unfortunately, the legal drugs they do use to treat these conditions are far more addicting than marijuana. Ritalin and Aderall are legal forms of methamphetamine. Maybe that's why its a gateway drug? Parents catch their kids doing pot and then take them to the doctor to get them put on the hard stuff.
Also realize that when E was legal, it was much safer to do. Prohibition and zero tolerance leads to dirty production and unethical business practices. The very same thing happened with alcohol during it's prohibition. Instead of being manufactured in a controlled and regulated environment, it was produced in bath tubs and basements by people only concerned with making a buck.
When children are told "Pot is bad mm kay" and then try it and realize its not and they have been lied to, they are more likely to try other things because they figure if they had been lied to about that, maybe the other stuff is not as bad either.
C'mon guys, the entire pot demonization was brought about by our government to increase government spending and power. Have we really not all realized that we cannot trust them? Go and watch the ridiculousness of "Reefer Madness" and you should be able to tell the government's ability to take advantage of the ignorance that resides in the people of this country, as well as corporations (Pharmaceutical and Medical) to make profits from it.
And yes, the founding fathers would turn in their graves over this. George Washington would be upset he couldn't smoke (He journal-ed about growing his own pot) and Benjamin Franklin would be busy having fun with prostitutes in France (We were able to enlist France's help partly because Ben made a good impression partying with them). I applaud them for their great work. Couldn't imagine what would have happened had their parents stopped them from doing their thing.

Steve Francek of IL 11:56AM August 03, 2011

A lot of you anti-drug(sex) types like to refer to the "founding father's" and the Constitution for your support. The next time you "toss" your child's room looking for drugs just think about those founding fathers spinning in their grave over the supreme violation of rights by allowing someone else to decide what goes into your body! Why not just call it what it is: slavery!

doc of CA 1:31PM January 06, 2011