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In the past few years there has been a dramatic rise in the number of teenagers who use drugs. Much like in the 1960’s, drug use has become a fairly acceptable activity amongst teens. Though, this is not the “Age of Aquarius,” and we are now much more aware of the many negative effects of drugs. Yet the amount of teens using drugs continues to grow at a staggering pace. Many school officials and parents are left feeling helpless in the war against drugs. The most recent solution to be found has been to enforce mandatory random drug tests for high school students. Mandatory drug tests should not be administered to high school students because drug tests break the Constitution’s guarantee against unreasonable searches, the testing is humiliating to students who are innocent, and drug prevention programs are more effective in the war against high school drug use. The Constitution protects the rights of the citizens of America. Yet many take for granted these rights, that is, until one of these rights is taken away from them. In her story “Why Drug Tests Flunk” Janelle Brown writes, “The key word in the debate over mandatory drug testing is unreasonable. Many feel that assuming students are using drugs and forcing tem to prove their innocence by using a drug test is an unreasonable search. Others for the testing feel that regardless of what rights must be abused, one must know whether or not a student is using drugs” (4). ABC News reports, “Policies like mandatory random drug testing strips the youth of America of their Fourth Amendment rights to be free from unreasonable search and seizure” (1).
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