Upcoming Drug Testing Summits

As we know, former Drug Czars and DEA heads and their compatriots often go into business working in the lucrative drug testing field after they leave government service, so it’s important for them to generate as much business as they can while they’re in office.
And Walters has been really working this one hard, trying to get to the point where he can become the Child Urine Czar and watch all kids pee in a cup.
The Random Student Drug Testing Summit tour has been part of the act for a couple of years now, and there are some upcoming summits:

• January 24, 2007 Charleston, South Carolina
• February 27, 2007 Newark, New Jersey
• March 27, 2007 Honolulu, Hawaii
• April 24, 2007 Las Vegas, Nevada

Fortunately, the ONDCP hasn’t been getting a free ride at these events any more. A number of reform organizations have shown up with useful and factual information and finding an interested audience.

On last year’s tour, dedicated drug policy reformers descended on every meeting with sharp questions and literature to counter the ONDCP’s deceptive presentations. Many educators expressed dissatisfaction with the one-sided information provided by the ONDCP, and were grateful to hear what we had to say: that random student drug testing is unsupported by the best available research, and can deter students from extracurricular activities–the very activities that increase students’ connection to their schools and to caring adults. […]
Last year, we forced ONDCP officials to explicitly acknowledge opposition presence at every summit. Our supporters had drug testing proponents stumbling over their responses, admitting they did not know the answers to our critical questions. Our work paid off; after the summits many educators told reporters that they will not consider testing.

If you’re in one of these upcoming summit regions, find out how you can help.