Random drug testing in our schools

Drug use amongst young people is an increasing trend, yet the public perception of the suitability / effectiveness of random drugs testing at school is relatively uncertain. Such testing takes place quite rarely in the UK, in spite of it being a more common practice in the USA.

The average starting age for heroin use in many cities in the UK is just 15, and a survey of over 20,000 UK school children showed that 9% of 13 year olds and over a quarter (27%) of 15 year olds had used an illegal drug at some point in their lives. So there is clearly a need for more assertive intervention at an early age.

Parents face the growing concern that their teenager may already be taking drugs, or that they are in an environment where they are exposed to those who will offer them drugs, especially Cannabis / Marijuana. The frightening reality is that this environment may be their school.

In order to learn more about drug use (and in particular Cannabis / Marijuana supply and young people), 182 young people who were Cannabis / Marijuana users aged between 11 and 19 were interviewed for a study published in January 2008 by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. The sample included both city dwellers and young people from rural villages. Half of the young people had taken cannabis into school or college and 43 per cent said that they used cannabis whilst at school or college. It is clear from the report that the majority of these young people purchase cannabis from their friends or relatives and in turn supply their friends in a new wave of ‘social’ and ‘not-for-profit’ drug-taking which is a departure from the typical dealer-user scenario. One young interviewee told researchers that the people who sold her Cannabis / Marijuana included ‘friends from school’ and shows how combining drug-use with normal social networking is having the effect of normalising the act of taking drugs.

However, a recent study by Neil McKeganey, Professor of Drug Misuse Research at Glasgow University, demonstrates that random drug testing in schools is a more complex and controversial issue than one would at first imagine. Questions arise over matters including cost, ethical issues such as what would happen in the event that a pupil tested positive for drugs and what ‘punishment’ or deterrent would be appropriate, concerns that pupils may switch from easily detectable drugs to more harmful drugs in order to avoid detection, and the probability that a trusting relationship between staff and pupil would be damaged and encourage a culture of concealment. Furthermore, it is possible that enforcing random drug testing of pupils would conflict with the UN Charter on the Rights of the Child or the European Charter on Human Rights.

Whilst acknowledging the obvious need for drug prevention, it appears that further research and data collection is necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of drug screening within schools.

In spite of this, results from an ICM Research poll which previously appeared in the News of the World on Sunday demonstrated that 82% of parents and 66% of children support drug testing in schools and of the 1,000 parents surveyed, 96% said they would want to know if their son or daughter was taking drugs.

So what can be done?

In the absence of a drug-testing programme at school or college, anxious parents, guardians or caregivers who have concerns about teenagers or young people using drugs are able to conduct a drug test in the privacy of the home. These home drug test kits are used daily by professionals in the healthcare industry and one test can provide easy to read results in minutes for a variety of different drugs. This includes the most common drugs, such as Cannabis / Marijuana, Cocaine, Amphetamines, Benzodiazepines, Opiates, Methadone and Methamphetamines (including ecstasy).

The beauty and benefits of breastfeeding

In recent years, there has been a lot of debate surrounding the issue of breastfeeding. While the decision to breastfeed is a personal one, there are countless benefits for both mother and child that ought to be explored. One of the most significant reasons to breastfeed your child relates to the quality of food your child is ingesting. Although baby formula may meet the nutritional requirements of children, it is not the ideal food for babies.

According to the World Health Organization, Breastfeeding is the absolute best source of food for babies. Commercial baby formula is comprised of countless preservatives and by-products of other food production techniques that have no proven benefit for your child. Formula is also extremely high in fat content, and leads parent to believe that their child is thriving because he or she is gaining weight. This is not necessarily the case.

Breast milk, on the other hand, has undergone millions of years of development in the laboratory of Nature. Countless studies have proven that there is no reasonable substitute for Breast milk. Breast milk has the amazing ability to transform and adapt to the needs of your baby at various stages of development.

Colostrum is an amazing example of the way a woman's body produces the perfect food for baby. It is the first liquid produced by a mother, usually beginning a few months before delivery. It differs slightly in appearance than breast milk, in that it is thicker and has a yellowish tint. It has a high concentration of antibodies, which helps newborns fend off illness and disease and build strong, stable immune systems. It is extremely easy for babies to digest, and it also has a laxative effect to help ease digestion.

Studies have also shown that there is a direct relationship between breastfeeding and a child's cognitive ability and intelligence. Simply put, breastfed babies have higher IQ's than their bottle-fed peers. Some studies have concluded that the longer a child is breastfed, the higher IQ he/she will have. Other studies have shown that breastfed children have a lower incidence of ear infections. This is significant when one considers the overuse of antibiotics and antibiotic resistant disease.

Food allergies are another important consideration for new parents. Breastfed babies have a much lower chance of developing food life-threatening food allergies. As a consequence, the have an even lower chance of developing related illnesses such as gastrointestinal disorders, diarrhea and vomiting. Breast milk protects babies from food allergies because it has a high concentration of the immunoglobulin IgA. IgA works by binding to foreign proteins and preventing them from entering the child's bloodstream. Children do not begin to produce IgA of their own until approximately 8 months of age.

Other studies have concluded that breastfeeding can also protect your child from diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis and Leukemia. New parents should explore their options carefully, and make educated decisions regarding their child's health and well being. Speak with your Pediatrician, or contact your local health unit, for more information. The choice you make will affect your child's health for the rest of his or her life.

Cookies and kids

I don’t know what it is but there are some smells that bring back fond memories and one of them is the whiff of a freshly baked cookie. I don’t have a particularly sweet tooth and can actually survive without cakes or chocolates but once I am hit by that cookie smell I am taken to a warm and wonderful place. I want to enjoy the cookie all on my own and find myself a quiet place with a cup of my favourite coffee and prepare to be in heaven.

It isn’t just eating a freshly baked cookie that is enjoyable but making them can be very satisfying too. Cookie baking can be great fun if you have young kids and that is probably where some of my earliest cookie memories come from. I remember how much I loved helping my grandma mix all the cookie ingredients together and then shape them on a baking tray before she put them in the oven. I felt so special when she let me lick the mixing bowl clean of the cookie mixture too! Anyway, the first time I suggested that my daughter could help me bake some cookies she was about four years old and her little face lit up. We made quite a mess I must be honest but we really had a great time together and the cookies didn’t turn out all that bad either.

If you have young kids in your family then why not give cookie baking a try? You don’t have to be a wonderful cook; in fact you can buy cookie mixes that you just have to add water to so you have more chance of baking great cookies. You could always buy some of the cookie dough that has become popular but I think that the mixing process is the best bit! Making different shapes of cookies and then decorating them afterwards is also something that most kids love to do. You might even think about giving some of these homemade cookies as gifts, especially if your kids helped make them. A cookie that was decorated by a grandchild for Christmas or any other special occasion is bound to be enjoyed far more than a store bought one.