PARENTS CAN TEST CHILDREN FOR DRUGS, ALCOHOL WITH HOME KITS

HASTINGS -- Parents of some students in Barry County are now giving the tests.

Drug tests, that is.

In a new program begun recently by Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf and
four school districts, parents can buy kits to test their children
for use of alcohol, marijuana, methamphetamine, cocaine and several
other drugs.

"This is needed because it will give the power back to the parents
and they have the say about which direction it will go," Leaf said.

The program, LEAD, for Local Educators (or local Law Enforcement)
Against Drugs, makes the drug and alcohol testing kits available
anonymously and at a nominal fee to parents who can then administer
tests to their children.

The kits can be purchased at the sheriff department or from the Maple
Valley, Lakewood, Delton-Kellogg or Thornapple Kellogg school districts.

A strip placed in the mouth is used to test for alcohol while a small
sample of urine is used to check for marijuana, opiates, cocaine or
methamphetamine use. The tests can be administered in the home and
provide results within minutes, according to David Prichard,
president of TDS Inc., of Livonia, which manufactures them.

He claimed they are 98.9 percent accurate.

The alcohol tests cost $3, a single drug test is $4 and a four-panel
test for separate drugs is $12.

Leaf said an initial 300 tests were ordered using money donated by
several businesses and individuals and have been distributed to the
schools. The kits also are available from the sheriff department.

Scott Eckhart, assistant principal at Maple Valley Junior/Senior High
School, said the school is taking five kits and announcing the
program during upcoming parent/teacher conferences.

"I don't see it as a growing problem but there isn't a school
district that doesn't have issues with drugs," he said. "This will
get parents something they can use."

At Delton-Kellogg Middle School, the parents of students disciplined
for suspected alcohol or cigarette or drug use are told about the kits.

"We call parents and tell them this is what is available now," said
principal Brooke Ballee. "Then parents can make sure they are not
doing it again."

She said at least five parents of students in the school have asked
for the kits.

The program is available in 10 states and about 110 Michigan
communities, Prichard said, including Lansing, Grand Rapids, Wyoming
and Grandville.

He said neither law enforcement nor schools are involved in the
testing. Parents can purchase the kits and conduct the test at home
without reporting any results.

"This is about parents testing, which is where it should be,"
Prichard said. "Our thinking is wouldn't it be good to get the kids
before they get into our court system."

He said some parents have told him they simply show the children the
kit with the implied threat that they could be tested anytime.

"One mother told me, 'I never opened it, I just left it out by the
back door,'" Prichard said.

Prichard, whose company also provides treatment programs, said 62
percent of all high school graduates will try illegal drugs.