The Nation - News from Jan. 8, 1988

The New Jersey Assembly approved legislation that would require public school students to submit to urine or blood tests as part of a $1.5-million plan to establish substance-abuse programs in every school. The legislation, previously approved in the Senate, would allow school officials to require students suspected of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol to undergo testing. Gov. Thomas H. Kean is expected to sign the legislation. Under one of the two bills approved, each school district would be required to develop a detailed program to identify and help students with substance-abuse problems. The second bill would require the department to develop instructional programs on the nature of drugs and alcohol and their effects on the user.