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Why StudentScreen?Overview, New Jersey State Law, Drug Use Trends, Making Strides Ecstasy use is on the rise and some are saying that it has become an epidemic! Drugs continue to plague our schools by destroying the lives of many children. It is time for the medical community, parents and educational professionals to fight back. StudentScreen will enable parents and school officials to combat drug use and allow children to grow up to live healthy drug-free lives.
StudentScreen affords students drug and alcohol testing that is:
New Jersey State Law (NJSA) Title 18A requires all educational professionals to obtain medical evaluations, including but not limited to physician examinations and drug and alcohol screens, for students suspected of being under the influence of either drugs and/or alcohol. Title 18A requires the educational professional to take action as soon as possible. He or she must make a reasonable attempt to contact the students' parents; however, inability to reach them is not considered cause for delaying students' examinations and testing. Furthermore, New Jersey State Law allows medical providers to examine and test students without parental consent.
Immedicenter's StudentScreen
was based on Immedicenter's directors' experience as Family Physicians
and Medical Review Officers. It was also founded on research done by or
in cooperation with the National Institute of Health (NIH) / National
Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) on current drug and alcohol abuse trends
in the United States of America amongst adolescents. While illicit drug
use is extremely diverse, Immedicenter was able to develop a service that
would be comprehensive and affordable for parents and educational institutions.
This year NIDA has reported that the usage rates of traditional drugs of abuse, such as cocaine and marijuana, have remained constant. However, the usage rate of Ecstasy is on the rise at an alarming pace, especially amongst tenth and twelfth graders. The following table illustrates this point: Ecstasy Use
By Students, 1999
* Resource: National Institute on Drug Abuse
Effects of Ecstasy Ecstasy may have long-term effects on the central nervous system, such as brain damage. A study was conducted during which monkeys were exposed to MDMA (Ecstasy) for four days. The study revealed brain damage that was not apparent until six to seven years later. Furthermore, positron emission studies were conducted on both individuals who had used ecstasy during their lifetime and those who did not. The tomographic evidence of the study revealed significant loss of serotonin (neuronal) activity in those who had used Ecstasy. Serotonin is responsible for mood regulation, learning and memory. Other Drugs There are other substances, which also merit recognition and consideration for testing, such as: Ketamine, with its wide availability in the New York metro area, GHB and Rohypnol. These are also known as "date-rape drugs" and are commonly found in the club and rave scene. Therefore, Immedicenter has offered this testing to schools in addition to StudentScreen, which includes: a physician examination, ten-panel drug screen [cocaine, marijuana (THC), phencyclidine (PCP), opiates, amphetamines, barbiturates, propoxyphene, benzodiazepines, methadone and methaqualone] and a urine Ecstasy screen.
The illicit drug industry has been extremely innovative; screening for every available drug is impossible due to the rapid rate at which new drugs are hitting the streets and the high expense of scientific testing. However, Immedicenter believes StudentScreen will be instrumental in reducing drug usage amongst school children. If a parent, Substance Awareness Coordinator or other educational professional suspects a student of using other substances outside the scope of StudentScreen's ability to detect, additional tests can be added. The "War on Drugs" is becoming more difficult to battle; however, with the right education, physician, teacher and parent confidence, communication and medical testing, we can ensue making strides against illicit drug use.
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