Teen Drug Test for Driver’s License

Regarding the Oct. 20 story about President Clinton proposing a new federal mandate that would require states to give drug tests to 16- and 17-year-olds before they can receive driver’s licenses:

The federal government does not issue driver’s licenses, states do; therefore it is not the business of the federal government to determine this issue. By threatening to withhold states’ share of federal transportation money if they do not comply with this new mandate, the president hopes to achieve by economic blackmail that which he has no authority to do. Not coincidentally, making this proposal helps the president in his quest to appear tough on drugs.

Unfortunately, if the proposal becomes law, it would result in a further growth of the authority of the federal government at the expense of the authority of state and local governments, where this issue is properly decided. After all, the article went on to note that California already has a similar law that has been in effect since January 1994. If other states choose to do so, they can also enact similar laws.

CLAUDIO HOWARD

Hawthorne

* Bravo to Clinton and his proposed policy to ask for drug tests on teenagers applying for their driver’s license. Now, if the president will go one step further and ask the same from all government officials, including himself and his staff, this will lend the needed credibility to his plan, and bring about an end to the criticism that has swirled around his administration for his seeming soft stance on drug usage and his eschewing of tests and reporting of results of his colleagues in the past.

SIDNEY GOLD

Granada Hills