'Test My Teen': Free Kit Allows Parents to Check for Drug Use

The is offering parents the ability to test their children for drug use.

 “For years, police have been the first to know and parents the last to know when local kids used drugs,” said Wentzville Police Chief , according to a news release. “With this program, we can work with parents and turn this thing around.”

A police department news release calls the program “the strongest deterrent kids have for staying off drugs.”

Harrison learned about the program through a letter from the Missouri Police Chiefs Charitable Foundation (MPCCF).

The program allows parents to download a voucher for one free, home drug-test kit by clicking on a link on Wentzville Police Department’s website. www.wentzvillemo.org.

Harrison said she believes the program helps create a positive, effective partnership in fighting drug use among teens.

“When teens’ so-called friends pressure them to experiment with drugs or alcohol, they can tell their friends, ‘No thanks. My parents test me.’ That takes the pressure off teens to defend their choice for not using,” said Harrison.

“It also says to peers, ‘If I use I’ll get caught for certain and then I’ll have to explain where I got the drugs,’” she said.

“This program also provides a way for teens who have previously been caught using drugs to rebuild trust with their parents,” Harrison said. “Parents can know for sure if their teen is telling the truth when they say, ‘No, I am no longer using.”

Harrison told Patch she has not had one negative comment about the program.

"That's why I like this program. It's a third-party administrator," she said. "They send it to the parent, and the parent and the child are the only ones who know about it. You can choose to go out and get help if you need it."

Parents pay only for shipping the kit. Electronic vouchers require no interaction with police, providing parents total anonymity and the ability to address the issue privately.

The kits also are shipped in non-descript packaging to preserve privacy. Parents without Internet access can pick up a printed voucher at the Wentzville Police Department, 1019 Schroeder Creek Blvd.

For more information on Test My Teen, check can go to the program’s website.