Mandatory Drug Test for Grade Four Students and Above

Nowadays, illegal drugs are accessible to anyone, that also students from high school can
get their hands-on simple drugs like marijuana anywhere. That’s the reason why the Philippines
would never be a free from illegal drugs. The Philippine Drug Enforcement and Agency (PDEA)
presented a proposal:” mandatory drug test for grade four and above” last July 12, 2018.
(Cabrera, 2018) After the news was aired nationwide, it gathered up a lot of reactions. Some
people reacted negatively about the news and some are in favor of it. This paper asserts about the
issue on mandatory drug test on grade four students and above. In this paper, we will discuss the
factors why we stand to oppose the said issue. At first, we will be discussing about the opinions
and reasons of other people that agrees the issue. Then, we will discuss afterwards the opinions
and the reasons of the people who supports the said issue and their effect in the governmental
move in making the Philippines as a drug free county.
An 8th grade student was offered by his classmate to buy illegal drugs just for five
hundred pesos. He declined his classmate’s offer and otherwise asked if who their supplier is.
His classmate said that they were only given rejected drugs from the streets. It is an unacceptable
behavior and also influences other students in a bad way. For most people, drugs are dangerous,
can put a person behind bars and can destroy a person’s life. For other people, they think drugs is
just a getaway to be free from their problems, lightening their heads and take their pain away.
This just proves how the drug industry in the Philippines has grown a lot just like how it grows
in some schools.
According to an article, the main purpose of mandatory school drug testing is not to catch
kids using drugs, but to prevent them from ever using drugs, illegal or not. Students’ age is
crucial. Once teenagers are using drugs, it is much harder for them to break their addiction.
(OurHappySchool, 2011) Once the students will be tested, they will lose their confidence due to
their young age. Their parents also are scared due to the humility that will bring to their child and
may also cause suicidal attempts for the students. Students will stop using illegal drugs for fear
of getting caught. It may also lead the students change their lifestyle and stop from using illegal
drugs.
Students who are positive in the drug test will be given a chance in rehabilitation to
change their lives as soon as possible. They will be encouraged by the community to save the
youth, the next generation. Some people say that it will be costly on the part of the Government
which finances the public schools since drug rehabilitation is very expensive. Where would the
government get additional funds in rehabilitating the students? It would also be possible that the
budget for education will be deducted just to cover the expenses for the rehabilitation. It may
have a huge effect for the education of the students who are negative to the drug test.
It will increase students’ awareness on how dangerous illegal drugs are. In that way, it
can prevent other students to try illegal drugs. Students will also know the negative effects of
illegal drugs in their mind and in the community. Since illegal drugs is one of the leading causes
of crime here in the Philippines. Students will surely avoid using illegal drugs.
Mandatory illegal drug test in grade school might fright the students but we will have a
positive effect in the community and in the future. The main goal of drug testing students is not
to imprison them but helping them to prevent using drugs. Students who are positive in the drug
test will be given a chance to rehabilitation. If it has a positive effect in the community, it will
also have a negative effect. It will be costly on the part of the Government which finances the
public schools. What would the government of the Philippines do if all of the youth are addicted
with illegal drugs? If they wouldn’t prevent this as soon as possible, it would be chaos. Crime
rates would increase and the Philippines will be a dangerous place to live in.
All in all, we must take a stand to agree with this implementation not for jus our benefits,
but also for the benefit of the others. Students must not be afraid in drug testing because that is a
second chance for them to fix their wrong doings, change the way they live and most of all, stop
using illegal drugs. This issue may have negative effects to other people but the positive effects
of this will bring peace to the country. It is a good investment of the government of the
Philippines that this issue will be approved in order for the Filipinos to have a peaceful place to
live in and for the future of the Philippines also.

Sources:
Cabrera, R. (2018, June 22). PDEA wants mandatory drug testing in schools. Retrieved February
18, 2019, from https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/06/22/1826911/pdea-
wants-mandatory-drug-testing-schools.
On Mandatory Drug Testing in School: Are you in Favor or Not? (2011, December 04).
Retrieved February 18, 2019, from https://ourhappyschool.com/debate/mandatory-
drug-testing-school-are-you-favor-or-not
Danganan, J. (2017, December 01). Illegal drugs and their ill-effects. Retrieved February 18,
2019, from http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1017569
Saving kids from drug abuse. (2018, June 26). Retrieved February 18, 2019, from
https://www.philstar.com/opinion/2018/06/26/1827902/editorial-saving-kids-drug-
abuse
Grande, G. (2018, June 21). Random drug tests in schools hailed, feared. Retrieved February 18,
2019, from https://news.abs-cbn.com/focus/06/21/18/random-drug-tests-in-schools-
hailed-feared .