As part of group three, our job is to create a public policy to prevent drug use at the Westfield High School. Drug use is a huge problem at the high school because a lot of students are using drugs. This is bad because if so many people are aware of the drug use, then that means that there are a lot of users. More than 60 percent of teens said that drugs were sold, used,or kept at their school(11 Facts about Teens And Drug Use). Also thirty-nine out of forty- one eighth grade students have seen or heard about drug use in the high school (Student survey), this is an astounding number and should be lower. It’s amazing that 17% of students drink or do drugs during the school day(huffingtonpost.com). Our plan is to create a town wide policy to prevent drug use in the school and in the town. In 2011, 11.4% of twelve graders have admitted to using marijuana (DrugFacts: High School and Youth Trends) and those are the only kids who admitted to using it. The three main things that should be included in the policy are drug sniffing dogs, random drug testing, and harsher punishments. We feel that a combination of using these policies will be the best for Westfield High school because it would be a great way to end drug use.
First of all, we will enforce drug sniffing dogs at the high school. This will help us find dealers and kids who are using drugs. If drug sniffing dogs are in the school, then kids may be too scared to bring drugs to school. Drug sniffing drugs will also help get drugs out of the area because once it finds the drugs the police will be able to talk to the student afterwards. On average, drug sniffing dogs are around 44% accurate (How Accurate are Drug-Sniffing Dogs?). Drug sniffing dogs can come to the school randomly every two months. This way, the students would not know when the dogs are coming and they would probably have drugs with them. This is legal and constitutional as long the dog is not sniffing people, but only sniffing their belongings in lockers (Search and Seizure in Schools). Once police get involved, the kids will be to scared to brings drugs to school which will prevent other kids from trying drugs. Between 2011 and 2012, a dog took 211 trips and found them 138 times (Do Drug Sniffing Dogs Pass The Smell Test?). Drug sniffing dogs are a great idea and they will help prevent drug use.
Secondly, we will have random drug testing to try to catch students using drugs. These drug tests will catch kids off guard and hopefully if there are drug users, they can be caught. Since these drug tests are random, students would be scared to use drugs at school because they could get caught. Random drug tests are completely legal (drugabuse.gov) and are a great way to get rid of the drugs and find the drug users in the High School. These drug tests will take the urine of students of will detect traces of drugs. Marijuana single use stays in urine for 1-7 days regular use stays in urine for 7-100 days, Amphetamines stays in urine for 1-3 days Cocaine 1-3 days and Heroin 1-4 days(canorml.org). Drug tests might not catch students but they will keep kids sober. If a student is caught with drugs in his/her system they should be punished and questioned. Overall drug test are a great way to find users and prevent drug use in the High School.
Furthermore, the last part of our policy will be harsher punishments. If a student is a drug dealer he/she should be fined and expelled, and possibly jail or juvy. A student caught using drugs should be and can be legally suspended(clcm.org) and seek out help if he/she is addicted. These rules apply to all students and the students should be aware of these punishments. Certain drugs call for different punishments. For instance, if a student is caught with meth there will be a more severe punishment than marijuana because meth is worse for you than marijuana. If students are aware of these punishments they will definitely cut down or even stop doing and selling drugs. These punishments are completely legal and will help prevent kids from using drugs.
In conclusion, this policy will help prevent drugs and the selling of drugs in the high school. This policy will be enacted by the legislative branch because they will carry out the law and vote on it. If this policy is state-wide the governor must approve. Some of the advantages to our policy will lower drug use and will keep students healthy and safe. Some disadvantages people may not like the new rules and punishments and won’t follow the policy. Our school wide policy will include drug sniffing dogs with searches every two months, random drug testing, and harsher punishments for students caught with drug possession(dealer) or having drugs in their system. If students are aware of the punishments and the policy then it may be able to lower or stop the drug use at the high school. Drug use in the Westfield High School is a huge problem and our plan is to enforce this policy and fix this problem.
First of all, we will enforce drug sniffing dogs at the high school. This will help us find dealers and kids who are using drugs. If drug sniffing dogs are in the school, then kids may be too scared to bring drugs to school. Drug sniffing drugs will also help get drugs out of the area because once it finds the drugs the police will be able to talk to the student afterwards. On average, drug sniffing dogs are around 44% accurate (How Accurate are Drug-Sniffing Dogs?). Drug sniffing dogs can come to the school randomly every two months. This way, the students would not know when the dogs are coming and they would probably have drugs with them. This is legal and constitutional as long the dog is not sniffing people, but only sniffing their belongings in lockers (Search and Seizure in Schools). Once police get involved, the kids will be to scared to brings drugs to school which will prevent other kids from trying drugs. Between 2011 and 2012, a dog took 211 trips and found them 138 times (Do Drug Sniffing Dogs Pass The Smell Test?). Drug sniffing dogs are a great idea and they will help prevent drug use.
Secondly, we will have random drug testing to try to catch students using drugs. These drug tests will catch kids off guard and hopefully if there are drug users, they can be caught. Since these drug tests are random, students would be scared to use drugs at school because they could get caught. Random drug tests are completely legal (drugabuse.gov) and are a great way to get rid of the drugs and find the drug users in the High School. These drug tests will take the urine of students of will detect traces of drugs. Marijuana single use stays in urine for 1-7 days regular use stays in urine for 7-100 days, Amphetamines stays in urine for 1-3 days Cocaine 1-3 days and Heroin 1-4 days(canorml.org). Drug tests might not catch students but they will keep kids sober. If a student is caught with drugs in his/her system they should be punished and questioned. Overall drug test are a great way to find users and prevent drug use in the High School.
Furthermore, the last part of our policy will be harsher punishments. If a student is a drug dealer he/she should be fined and expelled, and possibly jail or juvy. A student caught using drugs should be and can be legally suspended(clcm.org) and seek out help if he/she is addicted. These rules apply to all students and the students should be aware of these punishments. Certain drugs call for different punishments. For instance, if a student is caught with meth there will be a more severe punishment than marijuana because meth is worse for you than marijuana. If students are aware of these punishments they will definitely cut down or even stop doing and selling drugs. These punishments are completely legal and will help prevent kids from using drugs.
In conclusion, this policy will help prevent drugs and the selling of drugs in the high school. This policy will be enacted by the legislative branch because they will carry out the law and vote on it. If this policy is state-wide the governor must approve. Some of the advantages to our policy will lower drug use and will keep students healthy and safe. Some disadvantages people may not like the new rules and punishments and won’t follow the policy. Our school wide policy will include drug sniffing dogs with searches every two months, random drug testing, and harsher punishments for students caught with drug possession(dealer) or having drugs in their system. If students are aware of the punishments and the policy then it may be able to lower or stop the drug use at the high school. Drug use in the Westfield High School is a huge problem and our plan is to enforce this policy and fix this problem.
Works Cited
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Smoke, Use Drugs during the School Day." Ed. Roy Sekoff. Huff Post
Education. Arianna Huffington, 23 Aug. 2012. Web. 23 Apr. 2013.
<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/p/huffington-post.html>.
Cargile, Erin. "Do Drug Sniffing Dogs Pass the Smell Test?" Kxan Investigates.
Robert Hadlock, 19 Feb. 2013. Web. 18 Apr. 2013. <http://www.kxan.com/
dpp/news/investigations/sniffing-out-drugs-in-schools>.
Iannelli, Vince, Mr. "Drug Sniffing Dogs." About.com Industry Teaching. Derrick
Meador, 2013. Web. 17 Apr. 2013. <http://teaching.about.com/od/law/ss/
Search-And-Seizure-In-Schools_7.htm>.
Jessica. "About Drug- and Bomb- Sniffing Dogs." Trans. Johnny. wiseGEEK. Denis,
2013. Web. 17 Apr. 2013. <http://www.wisegeek.com/
how-accurate-are-drug-sniffing-dogs.htm>.
Komp, Ellen, ed. "Drug Test Detection Times for Marijuana." California Norml.
Dale Gieringer, Aug. 2012. Web. 19 Apr. 2013. <http://www.canorml.org/
healthfacts/drugtestguide/drugtestdetection.html>.
Larson, Sharon, Ms. "Workplace Provides Educational Information concerning Drug
and Alcohol Use among Full-Time Workers Aged 18 to 64." Worker Substance
Use and Work Place Policies and Programs. Joe Eyerman, 31 Dec. 2008. Web.
17 Apr. 2013. <http://www.samhsa.gov/data/work2k7/work.htm>.
Leshner, Alan, Dr. "Frequently Asked Questions about Drug Testing in Schools."
Nation Institute on Drug Abuse. Dr. Glen Hanson, Dec. 2012. Web. 18 Apr.
2013. <http://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/drug-testing/
faq-drug-testing-in-schools>.
Volkow, Nora D. "Illicit Drug Use." Nation Institute on Drug Abuse. Nora D.
Volkow, Dec. 2012. Web. 17 Apr. 2013. <http://www.drugabuse.gov/
publications/drugfacts/high-school-youth-trends>.
Walsh, Karen. "Dependence on or Abuse of Specific Illicit Drugs in the past Year
(2008) among Persons Age 12 or Older." Inspirationsyouth.com. Inspirations
for youth and families, 2011. Web. 17 Apr. 2013.
<http://www.inspirationsyouth.com/teen-addiction-statistics.asp>.
Kaban, Barbara. "Who Can Be Expelled or Suspended." Children's Law Center of
Massachusetts. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2013. <http://www.clcm.org/
edsuspension.html>.
Brenoff, Ann. "Drug Use Survey: Finds 17 Percent of High School Students Drink,
Smoke, Use Drugs during the School Day." Ed. Roy Sekoff. Huff Post
Education. Arianna Huffington, 23 Aug. 2012. Web. 23 Apr. 2013.
<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/p/huffington-post.html>.
Rehab Centers In New Jersey:
Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation: Saddle Brook, New jersey: (201)368-6000 Bergen Regional Medical Center: Paramus, New Jersey: (201)967-4000 Community Medical Center: Toms River, New Jersey: (732)557-8000 Hunterdon Pain Center: Flemington, New Jersey: (908)788-6410 Holy Name Medical Center: Teaneck, New Jersey: (201)833-3000 These statistics are the past drug usage percentages. Obviously the percentages are higher of teenagers who haven’t used drugs but the percentages are too close to take any risk of not having people fix the situation in the teens of New Jersey.
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