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The Lacey Township Board of Education approved a new policy in August that created a voluntary random drug-testing program for middle school students.

((Rob Spahr | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) )

LACEY TOWNSHIP -- Lacey Township is beginning random drug testing for its middle school students beginning after the new year in a program intended to combat drug and alcohol abuse and addiction at an earlier age.

The Lacey Township Board of Education adopted the voluntary program in August and a letter to the parents of seventh- and eighth-graders announcing the start date went out two weeks ago.

The program requires parents to fill out a form giving the school permission to conduct the random testing. The program is also voluntary for students in interscholastic athletic programs or extracurricular activities.

"To take advantage of early intervention in the fight against the dangers of drugs and alcohol, the Lacey Township School District is implementing this program to assist our families," principal Jason King said in the Dec. 16 letter.

Lacey Township is located in Ocean County, which recently became the first county in New Jersey to offer the heroin antidote naloxone to high school nurses in recognition of the opioid epidemic's spread to younger users.

For a first test result that is positive, a student is not permitted to participate or attend any interscholastic athletic activity or extracurricular activity for 10 school days, according to the policy. The student would have to be examined by a medical doctor and have four successful counseling sessions with the school's student assistance coordinator, the policy says. The student would also have to agree to four scheduled drug or alcohol tests in the following 12 months.

For a second positive test result, the ban from sports or extracurricular activities increases to 45 school days and the successful counseling sessions increase to eight. The requirements for a medical examination and the four drug or alcohol tests would remain in effect.

A third positive test would result in the student being banned from sports or extracurricular activities for a year and being required to attend a drug or alcohol rehab program approved by the student assistance coordinator.

The banned substances include alcohol, amphetamines, ecstasy, cocaine, marijuana, opiates, PCP, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, methadone, propoxyphene and oxycodone.

MaryAnn Spoto may be reached at mspoto@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @MaryAnnSpoto. Find NJ.com on Facebook.