Home drug test for teens sparks debate

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A plastic cup and jar, a mailer to send to a lab and a number to call for results comprise Sunny Cloud's prescription for parental peace of mind.

The founder of Parent's Alert began marketing the home drug test kit after catching her own son smoking marijuana.

"I think parents need some tools to monitor their children's behavior," Cloud said. "I think it will be less confrontative and certainly less expensive."

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has designated the kits as a Class 3 medical device, on a par with cat scans and pacemakers. The FDA wants Cloud's product to go through a lengthy approval process, which is not required of similar kits sold to businesses, schools and police departments.

The FDA said it is concerned not only about the kits being used coercively and causing family discord, but also about parents' ability to read and cope with the results.

"Being told there was possible evidence of an opiate metabolite in a child's urine does a parent no good if you don't know whether it means the child ate a poppy seed pastry, as we heard about earlier, or conversely whether they tried dope on Saturday night," said Dr. Bruce Burlington of the FDA.

But some lawmakers think the FDA is overstepping its bounds.

"It's been determined safe and effective for use by companies," said Rep. Tom Bliley, R-Virginia. "They are concerned about 'family discord,' and believe me, that's no business of the FDA."

Some drug-abuse prevention experts believe parents are better off talking to their children and being alert to behavioral signs of drug abuse. Families themselves are split over home drug testing.

"It's for the children's good. I mean, they need help," said one mother.

"As long as the parents are going to be able to handle the response, what are they going to do if they find out their kids are on drugs?" her daughter asked.

"I don't know that there could be much trust in the family if that would have to be done," the father added.

For now, Cloud's test kit is still on the market. It's up to an FDA panel to decide whether it will continue to be available.

Reporter Kathleen Koch contributed to this report.

Related stories:

• Schools ask parents to help fight drug use - September 19, 1996
• Rise in teen drug use hits political nerve - September 20, 1996
• Trendy drug goes club-hopping ... and officials are worried - September 10, 1996

Related sites:

• Food and Drug Administration
• Drug Enforcement Administration

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