The Battle for the Hearts and… Urine of Today’s Youth

The Drug Czar is taking his Pee-in-a-Cup circus on the road to convince educators to spend taxpayer money on drug testing kids (and the first event is Thursday!) If he isn’t countered, his message may seem logical to school districts that don’t know the facts.
However, there’s no reason why we can’t attend these same public events and find ways to tell the truth.
The fabulous Students for Sensible Drug Policy have been on top of this issue for some time, and have done a great job in the past of countering the Drug Czar by showing up to events like these, passing out some real facts, and giving the press someone to interview on the other side (ONDCP doesn’t like this, but the press eats it up).
Here’s the info from DARE Generation Diary

Full Schedule:
Orlando, FL, January 19, 2006
(Rosen Centre Hotel, 9840 International Drive)
San Diego, CA, February 22, 2006
(Hilton San Diego Mission Valley, 901 Camino del Rio South)
Falls Church, VA, March 15, 2006
(Fairview Park Marriott, 3111 Fairview Park Drive)
Milwaukee, WI, April 25, 2006
(Hyatt Regency Milwaukee, 333 West Kilbourn Avenue)
If you live in or around any of these cities, please get in touch with SSDP as soon as possible by calling our world headquarters at (202) 293-4414 to find out how you can counteract the Drug Czar’s propaganda machine when it comes to town. Students, parents, and activists had a great time raining on the Drug Czar’s parade last year. Let’s make sure he and his cronies know that we’ll continue to be there providing the truth wherever and whenever they proliferate lies.
If you’re planning on going, be sure to take a look at the student drug testing section of SSDP’s website, where you’ll find talking points and other materials.
Make sure to sign up with ONDCP if you’re planning on attending one of the summits.

NORML is also working on countering the summit. The University of Central Florida chapter of NORML has already gotten some coverage in the college paper

Members of the UCF chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws are taking a stand at the Rosen Centre Hotel Thursday while the site hosts a regional student drug-testing summit.
The event, held by the Office of National Drug Control Policy, takes place at 8:30 a.m. and is intended to convince local educators that drug testing high school students will better serve the environment in public schools. NORML will argue, however, that national statistics have shown that this process does nothing to deter drug use and is nothing more than a waste of money.

[Updated to new edition] If you’d like a nice printable piece to counter drug testing advocates, the ACLU and Drug Policy Alliance has one that’s excellent. Making Sense of Student Drug Testing: Why Educators Are Saying No (pdf) [2nd Edition].
At the very least, we shouldn’t let the Drug Czar off easy. With any luck, we’ll have educators coming to these events interested in drug testing, but leaving turned off by it.