Firms Look to Exploit School Drug-Testing Decision November 18, 2002
News Summary
Ever since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that school districts could randomly test students for drugs, drug-testing companies have been running promotions to attract school districts to their services, the Sacramento Bee reported Nov. 16."I've been calling district superintendents ever since the ruling came out," said Jeffrey Ellins, president of Datco Services Corp., a drug-testing company in Grass Valley, Calif. "A lot of people are starting the process."
Laura Pinnick, owner of a local franchise of Interquest Canine Detection, has also stepped up her promotional efforts. Pinnick, who owns the Auburn, Calif., franchise, said she visits schools with her yellow Labrador retriever, Ringo. The dog is trained to detect illegal drugs, as well as guns and ammunition.
"The main goal has been starting to call on the big school districts in the area, because it takes forever for them to approve this kind of thing," said Pinnick.
Graham Boyd, director of the American Civil Liberties Union's drug litigation project, questioned the appropriateness of canine detection and drug testing services in schools. "Where you find the most drug testing is usually in communities where there's the least drug use," he said. "The decision to test is more about politics and less about helping kids."
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