SparklyUnicorn Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 http://www.twcnews.com/nys/capital-region/news/2016/02/17/local-pediatrician-renews-push-to-mandate-drug-testing-for-teens.html Hmm...where to start...where to start. What do you think? Heard this on the news last night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 And what happens if the child tests positive- notification of the police? CPS? Both? I think it would just cause kids from troubled homes to be even less likely to receive regular checkups than they already are. Parents who are concerned about whether their child might be on drugs already can go to the drugstore to purchase a drug-testing kit OTC. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 Any concerned parent can either request that their child be tested or get an OTC test. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustEm Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 It is silly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom2Five Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 I am not a fan of anything mandatory. As a pp said, what if they do test positive. Would they then have the right to remove the child from the home and place them in some sort of facility. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted February 19, 2016 Author Share Posted February 19, 2016 I think if they were to do this they'd also ideally expand treatment options. Testing is not a cure or a form of treatment. They need better treatment and easily accessed treatment. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 Nope. Too invasive. There are better alternatives. It won't reach a large % of the most affected populations. Personal liberties. Nope. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GAPeachie Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 Considering the abysmal mental health/rehab accessibility in our country, I don't see the point of mandatory testing until there is a clear plan for what to do with the results. My parents couldn't manage to access care. One was a teacher and one was in the military. Two different insurance companies together couldn't access reasonable care for more than a night or two. It wasn't until my brother was charged with a crime that he had access to some care. Pretty backwards if you think about it. I do think that opening up more and more mandatory things erodes parental rights. When is enough enough? 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim in Appalachia Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 That would never work. I can see a doctor thinking it's a good idea. Kid gets tested, if it's positive then early intervention could make a real difference. Except, there are few to no treatment programs, and as soon as it involves a minor CPS would get involved. The whole thing would turn into a bureaucratic nightmare and the child would most likely be left worse off. No,no,no. A thousand times, no. Such a bad idea. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefgazer Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 (edited) OMG, this is my hometown and a longtime doc in that town. I am so glad I don't live in NYS anymore; overbearing and their noses in your business in every way. I have to tell you, I'd be avoiding annual physicals. Not because I think my kid is addicted, but "what if" she popped positive and what would they do, take her away and put her in foster care? I do believe parents should have the discretion of testing and treatment route, not a doctor or the state. Not to mention, smoking a doobie at 14 does not necessarily = addiction. Edited February 19, 2016 by reefgazer 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 I think if they were to do this they'd also ideally expand treatment options. Testing is not a cure or a form of treatment. They need better treatment and easily accessed treatment. DH and I watched an episode of HBO's Vice documentary series on the heroin epidemic. Most of the addicts profiled had been in and out of rehab numerous times. The individual has to actually WANT to change rather than being forced into rehab by family or the courts. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 Mandatory??? Heck no. You're not doing mandatory medical anything to my child. Requiring physicians to offer parents the option of the test for preteens and teens? Absolutely. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3 ladybugs Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 12 seems awfully young. Maybe I am just naive but are they going to force pregnancy tests too? I don't mind some mandatory things but this seems a bit excessive. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 Considering the abysmal mental health/rehab accessibility in our country, I don't see the point of mandatory testing until there is a clear plan for what to do with the results. My parents couldn't manage to access care. Yes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 12 seems awfully young. Maybe I am just naive but are they going to force pregnancy tests too? I don't mind some mandatory things but this seems a bit excessive. My parents both started drugs, smoking and marijuana, at 12. They were born in the 1950s. I think 12 is a great age to start. However I think regentrude's suggestion is a much better solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim in Appalachia Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 12 seems awfully young. Maybe I am just naive but are they going to force pregnancy tests too? I don't mind some mandatory things but this seems a bit excessive. 12 is not to young. :sad: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted February 19, 2016 Author Share Posted February 19, 2016 OMG, this is my hometown and a longtime doc in that town. I am so glad I don't live in NYS anymore; overbearing and their noses in your business in every way. I have to tell you, I'd be avoiding annual physicals. Not because I think my kid is addicted, but "what if" she popped positive and what would they do, take her away and put her in foster care? I do believe parents should have the discretion of testing and treatment route, not a doctor or the state. Not to mention, smoking a doobie at 14 does not necessarily = addiction. Word... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted February 19, 2016 Author Share Posted February 19, 2016 My parents both started drugs, smoking and marijuana, at 12. They were born in the 1950s. I think 12 is a great age to start. However I think regentrude's suggestion is a much better solution. Yeah as soon as someone tells me something is mandatory I get my panties in a twist. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 I'm thinking that pediatrician has no idea how limited access to mental health care is in this country. Clueless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 Is it going to be RANDOM testing? Besides being awful in other ways, if it's not random then it isn't even useful for its own stated purpose. People know how to not get high for a while lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustEm Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 12 seems awfully young. Maybe I am just naive but are they going to force pregnancy tests too? I don't mind some mandatory things but this seems a bit excessive. I would say that a majority of the people I knew growing up, late 90's early 2000, were introduced to drugs around 12 and 13. That didn't mean they all did any drugs but certainly could if they wanted, especially if they had older siblings. I smoked weed for the first time when I was 13. By 15, many of my friends had already had sex or were considering it and had tried pills, although I had not yet. I didn't do any other drugs aside from weed until college. These were all middle class families. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 What drugs would you test for? How long do those drugs stay in the system? How far back would use be detectable? Who would pay for these tests? Does alcohol count? This is not a well thought out idea. Better to do screening for risk factors, and save the money (what money???) to provide actual treatment for those who need it. We do have a big scary drug problem that harms and kills people, and it's good to brainstorm ideas of how to prevent and treat addiction. This idea, though, needs to be refined a bit, to address better screening methods, and to remove the "mandatory" concept. Health care decisions should be informed by the big picture but made at the individual level. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Excelsior! Academy Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 What if the child tests positive because of second hand exposure or even eating a poppy seed muffin. No, I'm not clueless. Yes, both of those can happen. Would that cause CPS to step in? What would the ramifications be? I would agree as an option available to parents. Mandatory? Nope. Just nope. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
73349 Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 (edited) Is it going to be RANDOM testing? Besides being awful in other ways, if it's not random then it isn't even useful for its own stated purpose. People know how to not get high for a while lol Yeah, it'd be pretty easy to look at the calendar, see a doctor's appointment later in the month, and wait until the day after that to use again. The benefit of making it mandatory/part of a well check would be getting insurance to pay for it, I think. But it would be perfectly easy for a parent or teen to avoid it by not going in. ETA: Therefore, people who are worried about a positive test are going to avoid taking the test. There will not be very helpful results from only testing people who are comfortable with it. Edited February 20, 2016 by whitehawk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.