President Clinton has proposed that a drug test should be implemented on applicants seeking their first driver’s license.

The policy would require teens seeking a driver’s license to undergo a drug test before approval. Apparently, this drug test would be enforced only on first-time applicants, which limits its target audience to non-voting Americans who have little political power in this nation.

In this attempt to appear as though Clinton has done and is doing something about the rising drug problem in the country, especially among teens, he has proposed legislation which won’t get at the heart of the drug problem. It is directed at a group of the population that can’t hurt his election campaign simply because they aren’t old enough to cast a vote in another direction.

Or, any direction, for that matter.

The drug test would, if implemented, be a poor measure of youth drug users for a couple of reasons.

First off, the person could very easily avoid drugs before the test so that nothing would show up positive for drugs. Especially considering the drug test would be only a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence.

Secondly, many kids don’t get into drugs until after the age of 16. Someone could very easily obtain a license and become a drug user or addict a couple of years later. Or people other than 16-year-olds could be a big part of the drug problem and yet they are left untested and able to drive.

This is another problem with the legislation because the test would only be for the first license and not subsequent licenses. If a drug test is implemented it should be for any driver at any age to reduce the drug problem.

Clinton is trying to put a band-aid over a gaping wound. While he may have good intentions to remedy a serious problem, the proposal comes at election time and bears the sneaking suspicion that he is merely trying to make over his poor image in fighting drugs.