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- Willie Nelson: “I Smoke Pot and it is None of the Government’s Business”
- Breaking: Clinical Trial Data Yet Again Affirms Cannabis’ Efficacy
- US Representatives Debate Defunding DEA’s Ability to Raid Medical Marijuana States
- Connecticut Will Be 17th State To Legalize Medical Marijuana
- NORML to Protest D.E.A. Imprisonment, Starvation of UCSD Student
- This Week in Weed: April 29th – May 5th
- Time: What Is President Obama’s Problem With Medical Marijuana?
- Citizen Advocacy 101 For Marijuana Legalization: Speak Your Mind
- A Mother’s Day Declaration: “The Drug War Hurts Our Families”
- The Drug Czar Knows Even Less About Hemp Than He Knows About Marijuana
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Should Schools Be Drug Testing Students?
There is an issue surrounding the use of at home drug tests and trust that should be dispelled. The argument that the bond of trust between parent and child, or partners is broken or damaged when such a test is administered is one that gets a lot of airtime. I think it’s overrated, and shouldn’t play any part in family life. If trust is such an issue, you could say that the person doing drugs has already broken it, if they actually have that is.
Trust is a two-way street and needs effort from all sides to maintain. Many schools such as PC Pro School(site), Harvard, FGCU, and others are questioning if this is the right choice. If an at home drug test is used properly, the circumstances clearly explained and discussed, there should be no problem. Trust is eroded when there is deception and secrecy in a relationship. One side feels lied to if they suspect the other of substance abuse, and that their trust is being broken. On the other side of the coin, the one accused feels their privacy is being invaded and that they aren’t trusted enough to have their word believed. As with anything, there are three sides to every story and this is no different.
When dealing with children, it’s important to know that they think they can get away with anything as long as they don’t get found out. If their actions remain undetected, they think the bond of trust remains unbroken. It’s important for parents to be aware of this when discussing the matter so they can deal with it head on. Dealing with any family member suspected of having a substance abuse problem is a balancing act. But, it’s important to bear in mind that prevention is better than the cure. Laying down the ground rules while children are young, or when you become serious about a partner is the single best way of avoiding this issue altogether. Making it clear that indulging in these substances is a breach of trust and won’t be tolerated puts them clearly in the picture about where you stand.
If you feel it appropriate, mention that you regard drug testing as an acceptable part of maintaining the bond of trust between you. That way everyone knows what to expect and not to take your insistence of having one too personally. Then when you bring out the at home drug test, they shouldn’t be surprised. It’s likely that the test will be regarded as not trusting, and an invasion of privacy but if you warned them long before, they can’t really argue.
Having open, honest dialog within the family about attitudes to drugs and expected behavior is the best way to maintain trust between family members. Talking about at home drug tests and the issues surrounding them will also prepare the ground for if you ever need to use one. That time is going to be stressful enough as it is you don’t need trust issues to compound your problems.
