Alternative to Controversial School Drug Testing Programs Gives Parents Responsibility Through TestMyTeen.com

Alternative to Controversial School Drug Testing Programs Gives Parents Responsibility Through TestMyTeen.com

ST. LOUIS, Sept. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- An alternative to controversial school drug testing programs gives the responsibility of protecting teens and their privacy back to parents. The TestMyTeen.com approach provides home-testing kits to parents and funding to schools.

When parents purchase kits online, they create a socially acceptable way for kids to deflect the peer pressure that comes after saying no to drugs, alcohol, or tobacco. Parents may also direct a portion of revenues to their child's school. See http://www.testmyteen.com/ .

According to Mason Duchatschek, the Executive Director of TestMyTeen.com, the words "my parents test me" stop pushy peers in their tracks. He also says that parents can enjoy relief knowing they can prevent or detect usage prior to addictions setting in and law enforcement officers, school officials, or potential employers finding out.

"In the past, programs dictated by schools aimed only at students in extracurricular activities, depleted scarce resources, and turned parents into adversaries instead of allies over privacy," says Duchatschek. He adds, "It took input from students, teachers, and parents to eliminate those obstacles and suggest necessary improvements."

To ensure accuracy, home-based testing kits utilize the same technologies found in medical labs and clinics. Because kits are administered by parents in the privacy of their home, ordered via the Internet, and shipped using non-descript packaging, confidentiality is protected.

A "Monitoring the Future Study" conducted by the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) has revealed that while 53% of high school seniors admitted to some drug use, only 18% of parents believed their teen had tried drugs. Consequently, while parents are encouraged to trust their kids, Duchatschek says they need to verify their trust is warranted.

Additional resources for parents and school officials regarding this program are available at http://www.testmyteen.com/ . Revenue sharing programs are offered to schools that register, free of charge, with the TestMyTeen.com alliance.

Contact: Mason Duchatschek, TestMyTeen.com, 1-314-414-5500, mason@testmyteen.com

Source: TestMyTeen.com

CONTACT: Mason Duchatschek of TestMyTeen.com, +1-314-414-5500,
mason@testmyteen.com

Web site: http://www.testmyteen.com/

NOTE TO EDITORS: Duchatschek available for interview

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Profile: education