Patricia Neal once said, “A strongly positive mental attitude will create more miracles than any wonder drug” (Neal). However, many teenagers of this era, largely athletic, seemed to think differently and were constantly using illegal drugs. To combat this problem, many colleges have taken aggressive steps to try to stop substance abuse among athletes. High schools across the country have also considered taking these same steps for a variety of reasons. Some people believe that high school athletes should undergo routine drug testing because it would prevent them from abusing illegal substances. Such actions will also help detect cheaters who use performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) to gain an advantage over their opponents. On the other hand, some believe that routine drug testing is unnecessary because it will be ineffective in detecting drug addicts. However, this system has more advantages than disadvantages, which is why high schools in the United States should subject their athletes to routine drug testing. One of the reasons why high school athletes should undergo routine drug testing is that it will help prevent a large number of students from abusing illegal substances. Marijuana, ecstasy and other narcotics have become popular not only among adults but also among adolescents. In fact, a 2003 study highlighted that more than 7.5 million people aged 12 to 17 reported using an illegal drug at least once in their lives. The same study reported that among students in ninth through twelfth grade, 40.2 percent had used marijuana, 12.1 percent had used inhalants, 11.1 percent had used ecstasy , 8.7 percent had used cocaine, 7.6 percent had used methamphetamine, and 3.3 percent had used heroin. ("Teens and Drugs Fast Fa...... middle of paper ......s to mandate routine drug testing for athletes, just think of all the lives that can be saved with such a system wonderful. Works CitedNeal, Patricia. "Drug Quotes." January 1, 2010. Web April 1, 2010. .Schwarzenegger, Arnold. Drugs Fast Facts. National Drug Intelligence Center, January 1, 2010. Web. April 1, 2010. "Teen Drug Abuse." January 1, 2010. Web April 1. 2010. .