'Students must be tested for drugs while entering college'

To curb drug addiction, Krishna J Palemar, former minister and chairperson of Vikas PU College, said that undergoing drug test should be made mandatory for youth applying for higher studies.

This usually involves collecting urine samples to check the presence of drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, PCP and opioids (both heroin and prescription pain relievers). This test should be conducted before a student gets admitted to any college after Class X, said the former minister.

Speaking at International Day Against Drug Abuse programme organised at Vikas PU College on Saturday, he said that the drug test should also be repeated every year or semester. “The primary purpose of drug tests is not to punish students who use drugs but to prevent drug abuse and to help students who are substance users to become drug-free. If a student tests positive for drugs, the schools can respond to the situation,” he explained.

“If a student tests positive for drug use but has not yet reached higher levels of addiction, the school can request for counselling and follow-up testing. For students diagnosed with addiction, however, the parents and a school administrator can refer them to effective drug treatment programmes to begin the recovery process,” said Palemar.

A student who has tested positive would be required to take a second scheduled test and a third random test. If both subsequent tests are negative, the student can continue to be enrolled at the school and all test results would be destroyed at the end of the semester, he suggested.

The goal of the mandatory drug-testing is to reduce substance use among students by deterring and by detecting substance use, as there is a spill-over effect on other students in the college who observe and are influenced by the behaviour of their peers. Drug-testing for high school and college-level athletes may also reduce the risk of students turning to drugs, the former minister added. “It is not only enough if we are not involved in the bad habits, we should also not allow others to imbibe it. We must take responsibility to get rid of the drugs from this society,” he said.

Earlier, inaugurating the programme on International Day Against Drug Abuse, at the College, DCP Sanjeev Patil said drugs are the greatest evil to the society. “They not only affect individual but also the society. Citizens have to take responsibility to make Mangaluru and the world free from drugs,” he said.

Yenepoya University Professor Dr Sudeendra Prabhu highlighted the effects of drugs which harm the brain. The brain gets adjusted to the drugs and without them, activities can not be performed. Clinical psychologists can assist substance users to overcome from this addiction, he suggested.

Under curiosity and pressure, many teenagers end up become addicted to drugs, he added.

Advisor Dr Ananth Prabhu, Principal Venkat Rayudu and others were present.