To Test or not to Test: That is the Question

Drug testing needs the permission of the person who is to be tested. Some companies, however, conduct on-the-spot drug testing on their employees to ensure that they are drug-free. Drug testing has its own fair share of ethical dilemma. It is sometimes done on the spot to avoid any discrepancies that may be done by a guilty party being tested, but at the same time, it also entails invasion of privacy.

People who have been subjected to testing without their consent might feel like they were subjected to a ruse and they may feel that they somehow lost their rights to their own body (or their own body secretions, technically).

As for me, should the government decide to do random drug testing to high schools, colleges, and universities, that is fine by me. Especially to those who are still in high school, they are still considered minors. And we all know that if you are a minor, you have very little right to decide for yourself because the grown-ups think you're not capable of big decisions yet.

Randomly testing high school and college students would be a nice try in trying to eliminate the cancer of society. And if some high school and college students would end up positive, there might still be time to rehabilitate them and make them a functional part of the society once again.

But as the people being subjected to random tests get older, things might get complicated especially in the legal matter. Adults or employees might know a thing or two about the constitution and they might waive their rights for privacy, ensuing a legal battle.



But for me, it is a good way of saving people who cannot save themselves. If I were to be subjected to random drug testing, I would gladly comply because I know I'm clean. I personally think that people who have violent reactions to random drug testing are the ones who use them.

Drug testing before admission would be something I would agree on. As long as the price for the test, which would be without a doubt added to the tuition fee, is rational and not too expensive.

I also think that drug testing before admission to schools could avoid invading the privacy of the person by letting them or their parents, if under aged, sign wavers. Discrepancies could be avoided by the medical technologist who will supervise the chain of custody of the specimen.

Students who would test positive for drugs could be helped by admitting them to rehabilitation centers. All in all, the system would be a great way of helping kids on drugs get back on track.


The caricatures came from HERE and HERE