MINDEN, Nev. — The Douglas County School Board has approved random drug testing for high school students involved in sports and other extracurricular activities.

The new policy will take effect in the fall at Douglas and Whittell high schools after board members' unanimous vote Tuesday.

Plans call for an outside company to oversee the testing process and to make random selections of students.

Urine samples will be tested for a variety of drugs, including alcohol, nicotine and steroids.

Under the policy, only offenders' extracurricular privileges will be affected.

A first-time offender will be suspended from a team for the rest of the season, while a second-time offender will face a 90-day suspension that carries into any new season.

A third positive test will result in permanent loss of extracurricular privileges.

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Information from: Gardnerville Record-Courier, http://www.recordcourier.com