The SATURN project is an experimental, longitudinal study to examine the effects of a high-school student-athlete drug testing policy. The random, no-advance warning drug testing policy is a school-based version of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) policy. High-school athlete drug testing was upheld by the Supreme Court in 1995. Given that high school student athletes are being randomly drug tested, it is reasonable to determine whether random drug testing reduces substance use or affects student's substance use beliefs. 

A three-school pilot project began in 1999 and the full study began in the fall of 2000. Schools were randomized to either the drug testing program or to a 3-year control period without testing. The drug surveillance program was a school policy and an absolute prerequisite for sport participation. All participants, along with their parents, consented to the school-imposed testing. For all athletes at the experimental school, the potential for testing occurred whether or not the athlete was participating in the longitudinal research surveys. Twice each school year, students complete questionnaires about theoretical risk and protective factors of drug use and their use of drugs. 

Dr. Linn Goldberg of the Oregon Health Sciences University is the Principal Investigator of this project. Information on the SATURN program can be obtained from: 

Linn Goldberg, M.D. 
Oregon Health Sciences University L475 
3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road 
Portland, OR 97201-3098 

Relevant Publications:

Goldberg, L., Elliot, D. L., MacKinnon, D. P., Moe, E., Kuehl, K. S., Nohre, L., & Lockwood, C. M. (2003). Drug testing athletes to prevent substance abuse: Background and initial results of the SATURN (Substance Abuse Testing Using Random Notification) study. Journal of Adolescent Health, 32(1), 16-25.
http://www.journals.elsevierhealth.com/periodicals/jah/article/S1054-139X(02)00444-5/abstract

For more information on the SATURN project, visit the web site: 

http://www.ohsu.edu/som-hpsm/saturn.html