New research suggests creating a "positive school climate" is more likely to keep teens away from marijuana than drug testing.
About 20 percent of all U.S. high schools use drug testing as a marijuana-prevention tactic, a Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs news release reported. These tests are either performed on "suspicious" students or at random in kids who wish to participate in clubs and sports.
There is little to no evidence these techniques are effective at lowering drug abuse in students.
"Even though drug testing sounds good, based on the science, it's not working," Daniel Romer, Ph.D., of the University of Pennsylvania Annenberg Public Policy Center in Philadelphia said in the news release.
The research team interviewed 361 students; out of the participants one-third said their school participated in drug testing. The team found these students were no less likely to dabble in drugs, alcohol, and tobacco than those whose schools did not perform drug tests.
The policy could help the students who are regularly tested stay away from marijuana (which is commonly tested for), but in most cases this would only be students participating in sports and clubs. Students who are involved in extracurricular activities tend to be less likely to use drugs than the general student population.
"So as a prevention effort," Romer said, "school drug testing is kind of wrong-headed."
In the interviews the students were asked about their academic atmospheres. Apositiveschool climate was one that had clear rules and encouraged a respectful relationship between teachers and students.
The researchers found students in positive school environments were 20 percent less likely to try marijuana and 15 percent less likely to use tobacco.
Positive school climates did not affect the students' alcohol use. Two thirds of the participants admitted to trying alcohol despite school drug policies and atmospheres.
