I often wonder how many parents who demand their children have random drug test would put up with their employer or childs school were demanding they take drug test.

I agree there can be a problem with drugs in some schools but I dont think that is a good enough reason to bring in random test (the goverment want all schools to have them). If a teachers suspects a pupil is on drugs, then I think they can ask for them to be tested, but not given the results.

It also needs to be rememberd that any such test would be recorded in the childs medical records meaning it could be become available to insurance coampanies and possibly some employers.

Unforunately the way medical privacy in the UK works, it would be available to far more people that the parents and the childs GP.

One way of dealing with problems in schools is to have a drug counciler that covers several schools and have a campaign about use of drugs and where to get confidential help. The parents should be told only if there is a real need and I think it would depend on how the parents are likely to take it. If the child is not using them and getting help, do the parents realy need to be told? Would the child seek help if they knew their parents were to be told even if they do not wat them to know?