Marijuana Policy Project

In Brad Colhour's years of collegiate coaching, he's seen the toll that steroids can take on the minds and bodies of his athletes.

That's why Lathrop's new drug-testing policy doesn't include performance-enchancing substances and instead will randomly test extracurricular participants for more common and prevalent illegal substances.

"I've seen (steroid use). I know what it looks like, and it's just not there," said Colhour, Lathrop's former athletic director and head football coach. "If it were, I would be pushing hard for it."

Based on advice gathered and presented by Colhour, Lathrop's school board unanimously passed a motion in June to start drug testing for anyone who participates in extracurricular activities — nearly two-thirds of the high school — for the 2008-09 school year.

Students who test positive will be suspended from activities for 45 days on the first offense, 180 on the second and the remainder of the year on the third. Those penalties can be reduced in some cases with appropriate counseling.

The K.C.I. Conference school joins a growing contingent of secondary institutions who are implementing such policies in order to discourage drug usage and protect their students.

"We haven't had a big problem, and we're trying to get ahead of it to where that will never happen," Colhour said. "Everybody strides to be proactive and not reactive."

Six months ago, Sen. Matt Bartle and other Missouri lawmakers used that same thought process and introduced Bill SB 736, which would implement state-wide testing for anabolic steroids, among other controlled substances. Four states (New Jersey, Florida, Texas and Illinois) recently passed legislation to make such testing mandatory.

But the bill never came up for a vote, mostly due to cost concerns. Each test can cost as much as $150 and would require significant state funding to be put into effect.

"I'm not necessarily for it or against it," Benton activities director Mike Ziesel said. "I think the taxpayers could use their money a little better when I don’t think it’s as prevalent as people think."

Take Texas, for instance.

Lone Star legislators signed off on a two-year, $6-million steroids testing program last year, the costliest of its kind. Last week, the first round of results were published and garnered only two positive tests out of more than 10,000 samples.

Instead, Lathrop chose a much more economical route. Colhour estimated the cost to the district would range between $1,500 and $2,000.

"That's something that really surprised me. I went, 'That's it?,'" Colhour said. "That's nothing compared to what I thought it would be."

The district will conduct the tests through Employment Screening Services in Springfield, Mo., which has operated since 1991. The company, which now tests screenings for more than 60 school districts, has seen an increase in business in the past few years partially based on the scandals in professional athletics like Major League Baseball and professional cycling.

But E.S.S. President Mickey Moore said very few school districts are choosing to test for steroids because of the cost, which is roughly five times as much as a test for street drugs.

"We definitely see a trend where more schools are choosing to use this as a way to reduce usage," Moore said. "But it's not as much an avenue for catching kids."

While the Missouri State High School Activities Association worked to provide information for Sen. Bartle for his sponsored bill, the organization has continued to provide literature and guidance to schools in order to prevent any type of substance abuse.

Kerwin Urhahn, executive director for the M.S.H.S.A.A., indicated any drug testing will likely take place on a school-by-school basis for the immediate future.

"Steroids right now is a hot topic throughout the U.S. and should be taken seriously," Urhahn said. "But many schools would tell you they're having bigger issues with other things and narcotics. One school might feel that’s very important, but you might go nine miles down the road and they might not feel the same way."

Although the St. Joseph School District currently tests school bus drivers on an annual basis, director of human resources Doug Flowers indicated that no such movement has been presented to district officials.

"I think anytime you do that, it would be an added safety precaution," Flowers said. "But we don't have a real concern for that at this point in time with any of our staff."

For all the chatter surrounding the issue, Colhour hopes politicians, administrators and faculty alike will remember the reason these policies and laws are being implemented in the first place.

"The major thing is the protection of our kids," Colhour said. "We all know as teachers that drugs are more prevalent in our society than ever. If we can help one kid stay clean through this, it's worth everything."