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Most drug education in schools is similar to sex education, it is very geared towards complete abstinence. This is not very effective. A more informative approach may help.

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The Bloomberg Administration announced on July 9 that New York City students will be required to receive sex education in public middle and high schools. These sex education classes will teach about condom use and the appropriate age for sexual activity. I applaud the Mayor's campaign to teach sex education in school. While many parents may hope that their teenagers won't be sexually active, the reality is that most teenagers will have sex and it is important that they are educated about the risks of pregnancy and sexual transmitted diseases like HIV.

The same principles and goals of sex education should be applied to another issue that parents have to deal with when it comes to teen safety -- and that is drug education. The same way sex education advocates acknowledge that not all teens will be abstinent and need to learn how to protect themselves and be safe, we need to acknowledge that not all teens are going to abstain from drug use and they also need to be provided honest drug education that will keep them safe. That's why the Drug Policy Alliance developed the " Safety First" program to provide parents and teachers will a fallback strategy for teens who say "sometimes" or "maybe".

While many schools already provide honest sex education that acknowledges the reality that some teens will have sex, our nation's drug education programs treat abstinence as the sole measure of success and the only acceptable teaching option. This simplistic and unrealistic "education" does not acknowledge the reality that 75% of teens will try alcohol and 50% will try marijuana before they graduate. Instead of giving our teens honest information about drugs, we have police go into schools and give them reefer madness.

Too many abstinence-only programs try to scare young people away from trying drugs by highlighting phony horror stories -- "if you use marijuana you may turn into a homeless heroin addict." Yet, the vast majority of people who try marijuana never become addicted or go on to try harder drugs. This leads to many teens ignoring all the drug information relayed to them by people in authority. Once we lose our credibility, it is harder for them to hear the messages that they truly need to hear, like the most dangerous thing you can do is get in a car with someone who has been drinking or high.

Honest drug education would tell young people about the true effects and consequences -- good, bad and terrifying -- that can happen from a range of drugs like alcohol, marijuana and prescription pills. One area of substantial progress when it comes to young people and drugs is the campaign against cigarette smoking. This campaign treats teens with respect and gives honest information about smoking's consequences. Teens also can see the harm of cigarette smoking in the lives of their loved ones.

Ironically, one of the most harmful effects of marijuana for young people -- especially for young blacks and Latinos in New York -- is getting arrested by the police. Under Mayor Bloomberg, marijuana arrests have exploded, with more than 50,000 marijuana arrests in NYC in 2010 alone. Close to 90% of those arrested are black and Latino, despite the fact that white people are just as likely to use or sell marijuana. These out of control marijuana arrests are happening despite the fact that under an ounce is supposed to be a ticket, not an arrest. The only time someone should be arrested with under an ounce of marijuana is if the person is smoking it or the marijuana is in "plain view". The police stop and frisk mostly young people of color and trick them to show them what they have in their pockets. Once the marijuana is pulled out, the police say that it is in "plain view" and they arrest them. Once someone is arrested there is a whole set of collateral consequences like loss of student financial aid, public housing etc. Young people knowing their rights and not pulling the small amount of marijuana out of their pocket is honest drug education that would be of valuable use to NY teenagers.

While it may be hard for parents to hear, large percentages of teens will have sex and will try drugs before they graduate. I admire New York and Bloomberg for recognizing the need for honest sex education. It is time for us to recognize that we also need honest drug education. We need to drop "Just Say NO" and replace it with "Just Say Know". We need our teens to know that the bottom line is that we love them and we want them to be safe. .

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Why We Need Honest Sex -- and Drug -- Education in Schools

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NYC's Mayor Bloomberg has made sex education mandatory, but we need the same thing for drugs -- let's stop pretending that teenagers won't take them. The Bloomberg Administration announced on July 9 that New York City students will be required to receive sex education in public middle and high schools.

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For people who do want to use (not abuse) drugs for recreational use, this can help them avoid getting in trouble at work.

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With more employers demanding pre-employment drug tests and developing random drug-testing policies, the length of time drugs stay in the system has drawn more attention from employers, employees and Internet searchers alike.

As the abuse of prescription drugs reaches epidemic levels in the U.S., prompting a corresponding hike in drugged-driving incidents, the window of time that drugs can be detected in chemical testing can be critical information for both law enforcement and defendants in any resulting court proceedings.

Too Many Variables

The problem is that an exact timetable for how long drugs remain detectable in urine, blood, and saliva tests is almost impossible to determine, due to the many factors that can affect how an individual's body processes or metabolizes drugs.

Drug detection times can be affected by each person's metabolic rate, which can vary widely. Metabolic rates, in turn, can be affected by the person's age and certain health conditions. The higher the metabolic rate, the shorter the time a drug can be detected in the body.

Hydration, Body Mass

Hydration levels, body mass, physical activity and drug tolerance can also affect how long drugs will be detectable. Drug detection times can be much longer for people with increased fatty tissues, because of some drugs, or their metabolites, tend to accumulate in those tissues.

On the other hand, if someone has built up a tolerance to a drug, the length of time it can be detected in the system can become very short, because it tends to metabolize more quickly.

Frequency and Amount of Use

Another key factor in drug detection time is the amount and frequency of the drug's use. A one-time use of a drug might be detectable for only a short period of time, whereas heavy or long-time use of drugs can be detected for extended periods. Very frequent drug use can cause concentrations in the system that can be detected for lengthy periods after last use.

Even the acid-base balance in urine can affect detection times in urine tests. The more acidic the urine, the shorter the detection time.

Hair Testing

A more recent test for drugs is the hair follicle drug test, which is less likely to be affected by the above factors - and also less likely to be tampered with - and can detect drug use for up to 90 days.

The disadvantage of using hair tests is that drugs will not show up in the hair for seven to 10 days. Also, the hair tests are currently more expensive than the standard urine, blood and saliva tests in both collection and processing costs.

No Exact Timetables

There are so many different factors that can affect the time that drugs can be "visible" in chemical tests, that researchers have not been able to nail down an exact timetable for the detection of individual drugs using standard testing. The best they have been able to do is develop a range of time, or detection window, during which drugs might be detected.

The timetables below were developed from sources with a vested interest in their accuracy. They include the American Association for Clinical Chemistry, the professionals that do the actual testing; companies who sell drug testing kits to employers and law enforcement; and even companies who sell products aimed at helping people beat drug tests.

Drug Detection Timetables

Following is a list of commonly used and abused prescription and illicit drugs. Click on the links for their alternate names, and the estimated times they might be detected using urine, blood and saliva tests. Use Ctrl-F on a PC or Command-F on a Mac to search for a specific drug.
American Association for Clinical Chemistry "Drugs of Abuse Testing." Lab Tests Online. Revised 2 January 2013. American Association for Clinical Chemistry "The World of Forensic Laboratory Testing." Lab Tests Online Revised 7 May 2012. LabCorp, Inc. "Drugs of Abuse Reference Guide." OHS Health & Safety Services. "How long do drugs stay in your system - including alcohol?." The Merck Manual for Health Care Professionals. "Drug Testing." Special Subjects: Drug Use and Dependence February 2012.

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Do You Know How Long Drugs Can Be Detected in Your System?

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With more employers demanding pre-employment drug tests and developing random drug-testing policies, the length of time drugs stay in the system has drawn more attention from employers, employees and Internet searchers alike.

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This is a very good book which is factual and provides non biased information about all kinds of drugs. It does not promote drug use, but provides good information for people who may want to use drugs to stay safe.

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Testing Molly or Ecstasy samples is a multi-step process. The standard test involves four reagents (Marquis, Mecke, Mandelin and Simon's). Simon's Reagent is used to differentiate between MDMA and MDA you confirm an MDx compound using the first three reagents. We also have three advanced kits for sale ( Froehde, Liebermann and Folin) that can help identify some of the other drugs commonly being sold. (We also sell Ehrlich's reagent, which is specific for testing LSD.)

Here is our most recent color chart (updated January, 2017). Click to view it full size, then make sure and read the full instructions below.

Full Instructions

IMPORTANT: Never have more than one reagent bottle open at a time. If you mix up the caps and put the wrong cap on the wrong reagent bottle, this may cross-contaminate the reagents and ruin them. Be sure to perform the tests in a well-lit location. Be careful when using the reagents, as they contain chemicals that can damage skin (we recommend wearing latex gloves). Keep the solutions far from your eyes and mouth. Also, make sure to clean up completely after each test.

1. Scrape a tiny bit of your pill or powder onto a large, white ceramic plate. Use just enough powder to see on the plate.

2. Take the reagent bottle out of the plastic safety container. Remove the cap and turn the bottle upside-down a couple inches over the powder . Squeeze one drop out of the bottle onto the powder. Be careful to not let the dropper bottle touch your powder or you will contaminate and ruin the rest of the reagent. Replace the cap.

3. Observe the color change right away. Use the corresponding columns of the color chart included with your kit to evaluate your test.

If the reagent either does not change any color during the first 30 seconds or if it produces some other color-change sequence, then the pill definitely does not contain any of the above substances. It may also be highly adulterated with one or more unknown substances. You can use other DanceSafe reagents on new samples to look for the presence of other substances. Wash the testing surfaces with soap and water as soon as possible.

A Note On Using Simon's Reagent

After you've determined that your sample contains an MDx compound, use Simon's Reagent to find out whether the substance is MDA or MDMA (MDE is extremely rare).

The steps are similar to what you did using our other reagents; however, this reaction requires two bottles of liquid (bottle "A" and "B"). You will once again scrape off a tiny bit of your pill onto a clean white plate, carefully add a drop of liquid from bottle "A" (closing the cap tightly afterwards) and then to that add a drop of liquid from bottle "B". MDMA will turn bright blue. MDA will have no color change.

Storage and Handling Instructions

The DanceSafe reagents are primarily sulphuric acid with other potentially dangerous chemicals, and are strong enough to burn skin and clothing. Keep out of eyes and mouth. Wear latex gloves when handling the bottle and cap. If you get some on you, then wash quickly with soap and water. Wash testing surfaces with soap and water as well. Dispose of any unwanted reagent down the sink with running water and baking soda. Store all testing kits in a cold, dark place such as a refrigerator between uses.

NOTE: DanceSafe Reagents can only determine the presence, not the quantity or purity, of a particular substance. Dark color reactions will tend to override reactions to other substances also in the pill. A positive or negative reaction for a substance does not indicate that a drug is safe. No drug use is 100% safe. Make good decisions.

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Testing Molly or Ecstasy samples is a multi-step process. The standard test involves four reagents (Marquis, Mecke, Mandelin and Simon's). Simon's Reagent is used to differentiate between MDMA and MDA after you confirm an MDx compound using the first three reagents.

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Education about substance abuse is an important part of helping individuals understand the many aspects of this topic. This information can include factual data about what substance abuse is; warning signs of addiction; information about how alcohol and specific drugs affect the mind and body; the consequences that addiction can have on one's physical and mental health, family, relationships, and other areas of functioning; and how and why substances are abused.

Education may also include information on how to deal with a family member or friend who is struggling with a substance use disorder, and how to be supportive during the detoxification and rehabilitation process.

This could also include counseling education, which helps everyone involved-from the person abusing substances to family and friends. It is important that people who abuse substances are aware of how a drug can affect their minds, bodies, relationships, and functioning. This awareness can help them realize the potential damage that could occur, or the damage that has already occurred. Substance abuse education may also include information about what treatment entails to prepare everyone involved for the potential outcomes.

The Importance of Substance Abuse Education

The main focus of substance abuse education is teaching individuals about drug and alcohol abuse and how to avoid, stop, or get help for substance use disorders-and this can begin at a young age. Education can start with parents educating their children, and in primary school programming designed to increase knowledge about substance abuse and the associated risks. For teenagers, substance abuse education is generally incorporated into school curriculum as well. Adults who want to learn more about substance abuse (that they can then share with their kids) can attend classes, group meetings, and research information online in order to learn more about the topic.

Substance abuse education is important for children, teenagers, and adults alike; there are many misconceptions about commonly used legal and illegal substances, such as alcohol and marijuana. Ensuring that children are educated about drugs can help prevent them from using them, especially ones that are made to sound harmless, but are in reality very addictive or dangerous to the body. Helping adults understand the repercussions of drug use can prevent a problem from forming and can provide information they can share with their children to prevent future issues.

Dig into more drug and alcohol abuse information every week with the ProjectKnow.com podcast, Let's Talk Drugs.

Knowledge is power, and with accurate information about the topic, a person will be more likely to make a fact-based and informed decision. When educating people, all drugs should be covered, regardless of the strength or perceived risk of harm. While opioids, cocaine, and methamphetamine are viewed as "hard drugs," and therefore have serious consequences, "minor drugs," such as marijuana and alcohol can still be addictive and are frequently abused. People of all ages should be aware of the damage that all drugs and alcohol have the potential to do to the body, mind, and relationships.

With the availability of internet resources, there is unlimited access to knowledge about drugs and alcohol, but not every site provides reliable information. If you are preparing to teach a substance abuse education course to adults or deliver a school presentation for children or teenagers, make sure that you know your information well, and verify it as accurate. This website has a number of excellent, reliable, and well-researched resources that can be used to educate yourself about drugs, so read them thoroughly. Having accurate and reliable information is the best way to identify yourself as a knowledgeable teacher who students will listen to, regardless of their age.

Do Drug Education Campaigns Work?

Studies have shown that substance abuse prevention programs are effective if they are research-based and implemented properly. ¹ Research-based education programs are rooted in scientific evidence and tested thoroughly, and have been shown to significantly reduce substance abuse behaviors, including use of nicotine, alcohol, and drugs. ¹

These programs boost protective factors, which decrease the likelihood of substance abuse issues, while reducing the impact of risk factors that make individuals more susceptible to substance abuse. ¹ It is especially important to include substance abuse education and prevention in schools, because they can help students avoid trying substances and reduce the risk of developing a substance use disorder later in life. Substance abuse education can begin as early as preschool to help reduce the impact of risk factors on later decision-making-especially during the turbulent adolescent years-where substance use disorders often begin. 2 Of course, it is important to adjust the material to be age-appropriate.

Recent surveys show drops in alcohol, tobacco, and substance use in American teenagers in grades 8, 10, and 12. ³ Use of alcohol and cigarettes were at a record low in 2015, and are currently at the lowest rate they have reached since 1975. ³ Drugs such as MDMA (ecstasy or Molly), heroin, prescription drugs, bath salts, hallucinogens, crack cocaine, synthetic marijuana ( K2 or spice), and amphetamines have all declined in use among American students in grades 8, 10, and 12. ³ And binge drinking rates in American students have also dropped significantly. ³ Marijuana use rates in American students have remained fairly stable since 2010. ³

This universal drop is attributed to increased prevention programming that is incorporated into school curriculums, which seems to deter students from trying illicit substances, alcohol, and tobacco. Education is especially important for newer, "designer" drugs, such as synthetic marijuana (e.g., Spice and K2) and bath salts (e.g., synthetic cathinones), which can be marketed as harmless, but are incredibly dangerous drugs that often have unpredictable results when taken.

Effective drug education campaigns should be ongoing, with recurring programming to fortify the original prevention message. ² Studies show that lack of follow-up programming can reduce the benefits of prevention campaigns. ² In addition, interactive prevention programming has better outcomes, allowing participants to play an active role in drug abuse education and the development of prevention skills, especially when role-playing and discussion groups with peers are included. ²

When research-based drug abuse education campaigns are implemented, they are not only effective, they can also reduce the cost of future substance use disorders. ² Studies show that for every dollar allocated toward prevention campaigns, there is a ten-fold savings in treatment for substance use disorder treatment. ²

Helpful Resources on Prevention and Safety

There are many reliable, informative substance abuse education sources available on the internet. The following is a list of some of the sources that can be accessed to learn more about substance use and prevention.

National Institute on Drug Abuse. This site provides information on substance use prevention for all ages, and also offers a family checkup, a questionnaire that helps parents learn about parenting skills that help prevent future substance use in children or teens.

NIDA for Teens. This site is an offshoot of the National Institute on Drug Abuse website that provides information aimed at teens in an interactive, interesting, and easy-to-understand format that appeals to young people.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. This link contains a wealth of knowledge about prevention, substance use disorders, and treatment. It addresses prevention programming at several different levels, including school, family, and community settings, as well as providing information about risk and protective factors and evidence-based practices.

Monitoring the Future survey. This website surveys American 8th, 10th, and 12th graders to provide current statistics on teen alcohol, drug, and tobacco use. The results are analyzed to determine trends based on the results from previous years.

Youth.gov. This is a government site that offers information about substance use prevention, as well as links to all areas of prevention, including articles, programs, publications, research, training resources, and websites.

Above the Influence. This is the website for a popular nationwide substance use prevention campaign. This program was developed as part of the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, and works to encourage teenagers to resist peer pressure and negative influences that promote substance use.

AWARxE Prescription Drug Safety Program. This site provides information about proper use, storage, disposal, and prevention for prescription drugs. Prescription drug awareness events occurring throughout the United States are also listed on this site.

Too Smart To Start. This is an educational program funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Its aim is to spark conversations between adults and adolescents about the risks and harm of underage alcohol consumption, and to increase awareness of underage drinking as a detrimental thing. This website offers different areas for children, teenagers, families, teachers, and leaders in the community, providing different information and resources for each group.

Preventing Drug Use Among Children and Adolescents: A Research-Based Guide for Parents, Educators, and Community Leaders. This is a publication from the National Institute on Drug Abuse that provides comprehensive information on substance use prevention. It addresses risk and protective factors, community-based drug prevention, incorporating the principles of prevention into programs, and even provides examples of evidence-based prevention programs.

Drug Enforcement Administration. This is a government website that offers community outreach information, and provides links to helpful publications and websites regarding prevention of substance use.

There are many other prevention resources available online, but be aware that not all of the information is reliable. Look for community, state, or government resources for the most up-to-date, effective, research-based prevention information.

Sources

1. National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2014). Drugs, brains, and behavior: The science of addiction.

2. National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2003). Preventing drug abuse among children and adolescents (in brief).

3. University of Michigan. (2015). Use of ecstasy, heroin, synthetic marijuana, alcohol, cigarettes declined among US teens in 2015.

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Why is substance abuse education important? And does it work? Where can you find reliable resources on drug education? These are all important questions to have answers to when you or someone you love may be involved with drugs and alcohol.

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There is a difference between using a drug and abusing a drug. People at music festivals may use drugs to enhance their experience, but not abuse them. Abuse is different than use.

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I think that educating people on the drugs they want to take so they can make their own decisions on what to do. This education should be on the facts of the pharmacology of the drugs, not what the media says about them, so that way they are not swayed any particular way.

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Safety should be the number one priority when it comes to anything. If people do want to try drugs, it is hard to stop them. We can make it safe for them however with drug-testing kits.

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Kits help people make sure the drugs are what they think they are. 

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Kits help people make sure the drugs are what they think they are. 

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DanceSafe promotes health and safety within the festival and EDM community. 

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DanceSafe promotes health and safety within the festival and EDM community. 

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It seems that every week there is a new case of sexual misconduct in the music industry, and the week of March 11th was no exception. What's new, however, is the gender of the perpetrator. After Read more

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It seems that every week there is a new case of sexual misconduct in the music industry, and the week of March 11th was no exception. What's new, however, is the gender of the perpetrator. After Read more

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Providing Drug Testing Kits helps keep people who want to try drugs safe. 

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Providing Drug Testing Kits helps keep people who want to try drugs safe. 

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In a muddy field in northern England's Lake District, more than 20,000 people are camping out at a four-day outdoor music festival called Kendal Calling. They jam along with their favorite bands. Some people wear outlandish costumes: There are superheroes, Indian chiefs and a naked guy wearing only transparent plastic wrap. There's dancing, drinking and occasionally, some illicit drug use.

It's a typical scene at summertime music festivals across Europe. But in England this summer, for the first time, revelers can have their illegal drugs tested before they take them. It's part of a new project to prevent overdoses.

"I've been doing festivals for three to four years now. I like my Ecstasy pills," says Rio Brown, 29, from Manchester, England. "If I want to chill out, I have my weed. If I want to party, I'll have some cocaine or a pill or whatever."

Brown just bought a bag of Ecstasy pills from a dealer who somehow smuggled them past the police and sniffer dogs at the festival gate. Ecstasy is the same psychoactive drug a teenager suffered a fatal overdose from at this same festival last year. That has Brown concerned.

So he and his friends take their baggie of drugs over to a festival tent labeled The Loop. It's a nonprofit that conducts forensic testing of drugs, and it's set up shop at U.K. music festivals for the first time this summer.

"[It's] just to make sure we're getting the right thing, really, to make sure it's not harmful," Brown explains. "We don't want to kill ourselves, you know what I mean?"

Brown breaks off a fragment of one of his Ecstasy pills and hands it to Chris Brady, who works full time as a drug counselor and educator for Britain's public National Health Service and volunteers on weekends with The Loop.

"We're very realistic that people do take drugs, and what we want is to keep people safe," Brady says. "We don't want any mothers getting a call at 4 in the morning, saying that their son or daughter is ill, or even worse."

In a tiny trailer behind the tent, volunteers conduct chemistry tests on pink and purple pills that look like children's vitamins. It takes only about 15 minutes. The volunteers are professional chemists, Ph.D. students and pharmaceutical researchers - all here on their own time.

"They give us one pill or a small scoop of powder, and they won't get that back," explains Fiona Measham, co-founder of The Loop. "Normally the substance is destroyed in the testing process. So there isn't really anything left in our possession."

That's how they get around drug possession laws. In the U.S., similar groups give out self-testing drug kits.

Measham is a professor of criminology at Durham University in northern England, and a drug policy adviser to the British government. She has worked for decades with police, as a forensic drug expert, testing drugs found on overdose victims, to help paramedics know how to treat them.

But then Measham had an idea: Why wait until after the drugs are taken, to find out what's in them?

She co-founded The Loop in 2013, and convinced police of the benefits of looking the other way, so that drug users can avoid being poisoned or suffering an overdose.

"One of the key things is to win the trust of people who are giving us illegal drugs. This isn't an undercover police sting. Genuinely, it's a health and welfare issue," Measham says. "The police have been very supportive of that. So they don't stand anywhere near the tent. We don't want them to scare off potential customers."

On this particular day, Measham has been testing for MDMA, the active ingredient in Ecstasy and another popular drug called Molly.

"We had some Ecstasy tablets that were 20 to 25 mg of MDMA, right up to 250 mg of MDMA. So you've got a 10 times range," she explains. "If people have two of the lowest strength, they probably would barely feel the effects. If they had two of the highest strength, that could potentially kill them."

Among hundreds of samples tested at this festival, Measham and her staff also have found ground-up cement, anti-malaria medication and pesticides - all sold as party drugs.

Behind a curtain, a drug counselor sits down with Rio Brown to explain what his Ecstasy pills are really made of. It turns out he overpaid. His drugs contain traces of MDMA, but also quite a lot of cellulose and chalk - harmless fillers.

Brown decides to go ahead and take his pills. But The Loop says that about a quarter of people who use their service decide to dump their stash in the end.

The grounds at the Kendal Calling festival are dotted with drug amnesty bins - like municipal mailboxes, for dumping drugs.

Drug counselors here hope those bins and drug-testing tents could become a fixture at music events around the world - perhaps even part of the licensing requirements for festival organizers.

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Making Sure Ecstasy Is Ecstasy: Volunteers Test Drugs At U.K. Music Fests

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In a muddy field in northern England's Lake District, more than 20,000 people are camping out at a four-day outdoor music festival called Kendal Calling. They jam along with their favorite bands. Some people wear outlandish costumes: There are superheroes, Indian chiefs and a naked guy wearing only transparent plastic wrap.