A roadside drug testing pilot program finished and the analysis is in. According to the report published by the authorities who conducted the pilot, their drug testing results were wrong 31% of the time. Now the pilot program is being expanded.
Like much of the country, Michigan has seen an increase in impaired driving in the past few years. But unlike alcohol impairment which can be easily determined by a breathalyzer test, impairment by drugs is much more difficult to determine in real time.
In November, 2017, five counties in Michigan started a pilot program which allowed police officers who are trained as Drug Recognition Experts (DREs) to administer roadside drug tests. Cotton swabs rubbed on the inside of a person’s mouth sop up enough saliva to return a positive or negative drug result within 5 minutes. The kits test for amphetamines, benzodiazepines, cocaine, methamphetamines, opiates, and THC (found in marijuana).
According to the Michigan State Police, roadside drug tests are a useful tool in keeping drug-impaired drivers off of the road. But critics of the tests say otherwise.
One problem is that while false positives are a concern for all drug tests (with rates around 5%-10% depending on the substance), saliva tests like the ones used in the MSP program are notoriously inaccurate. Despite there being only 92 roadside drug tests given during the pilot program, MSP says that 29 tests returned positive results that were only later determined to be false positives.
“I don’t drink, I don’t do drugs, but I would not take this test,” said Grand Rapids criminal defense attorney Ed Sternisha according to WWMT. “I simply wouldn’t do it because I don’t want to risk a false positive.”
Refusing to undergo the saliva testing can result in a civil infraction.
Additionally, while a breathalyzer test fairly accurately conveys whether or not a person is inebriated at that specific moment, some enzymes that drug tests look for remain well after the effects of the drug have worn off. A drug test administered to a medical marijuana user for example could show a positive result for THC, despite the driver not currently being under its influence. The majority of positive results caught by the MSP program was for THC use.
Despite concerns however, Michigan is expanding the pilot program to the entire state. If the expanded pilot is successful, MSP plans to share the data with the hopes of expanding the program nationwide.
Source: michigan, fox17, hollandsentinel, freep, clickondetroit, wwjnewsradio, dailpress, webmd
“This test is broken, let us expand its use”
Typical politicians.
Yep the typical government response. It aint working but it will if we simply get the volume up.
As usually it’s not about right and wrong, it’s about power and control and money. Bureaucrats with the power of writing new regulations because they believe it justify their job in the name of safety.
It’s never about safety it about money. I think they should start with getting the officers off their butts and issue speeding tickets plus enforce the distracted driving law before making more that they don’t enforce.
Also, citations for aggressive driving. That’s a good place to start.
I disagree with road side drug tests that are inaccurate. Authorities Know and admit it’s inaccurate but want to go ahead anyway.
I wonder which politician or police muckety-muck has stock in the drug testing company. Follow the money.
The various state and federal bureaucracies are becoming financially PREDATORY on
commercial drivers in the name of “safety”.
They have always seen truckers as cash cows.
That right there is probably the wisest comment yet..follow the money
It’s because someone or company providing testing product is involved like politicians family business or something of that nature! So it’s just a matter of keeping the $$ rolling in!
I guess I won’t be going through Michigan.
For every test that bore false positives, the victims should be entitled to lost wages and emotional anguish and be issued an official apology via live news along with an in-hand letter of apology from the government.
I like it, Deacon Blue!
That sounds like a great idea for a private company to take up reporting on. Needs to get some REAL press coverage on this from Teamsters and other pros -trucking forums!
Don’t hold your breath.
Real press?in this day & tome u mean some talking heads opinion
Right
Add to that a check in the amount of $500,000.00.
I’m sure the number of false positives would then be considered to high to continue the fallible program.
Here in Orlando field tests are showing a positive result for Krispy Kream donut glaze and yet they continue to use this test and will hold individuals as long as 3 days until the lab gets around to doing a real test.
Maybe that’s why I crave those damn donuts.
So these Geniuses see that the test isn’t accurate but they still want to keep it going and try to expand it nationwide? just think of the tax dollars they are wasting and the time from truck drivers that their taken away from them from being on the road
Won’t find me in Michigan
Nation Wide
And for every MRO who signed off on the bogus results should have their licenses pulled until they complete a return to duty status program.
You would be the fool to take that test. Michigan can go to hell!
If the drug test cannot distinguish between current usage and former usage, then it is a failure. The whole idea needs to be scrapped until a accurate test can be implemented. Vote these losers out! I have zero respect for state police. It is us against them. They have too much power.
Then drivers should boycott the state of Michigan and not deliver any loads there, watch how fast this policy changes
My sentiments EXACTLY! Without any freight being shipped into the state the state would totally collapse. One week of NO truck traffic into that state would create mass chaos, panic and a serious spike in criminal activity.
Michigan already has residents bailing..why dont they build it up use the “test money” to repair roads finish highway construction and offer long term incentive to bring people back..
Trump should go to Michigan, then he would go to jail where he should have been years ago
That makes no sense
Go to jail for what, exactly? What evidence of a crime have you been hiding from prosecutors and maxine (“peach him”) waters? No one else has come up with any.
patrick, REALLY !
The article as handed down by Sam fails to mention whether the test was used on drivers in general or only drivers of commercial trucks. I suspect there might be some missing information
The missing information is they are getting your DNA without a court order!!!
1st thought I had also
It’s used on the general public, and they rolled it out just before legalization of weed.
It’s administered by DRE qualified state troopers, who are most likely not diesel bears, so unless you screwed the pooch enough to get hit by a regular non-commercial vehicle enforcement officer, you’re probably not taking the test.
Tl;dr
This is NOT directed at truckers.
For once.
Again and again, waste of taxpayers money, looking to justify their existence in trucking industry.
Please get a real job instead of harassing people on the highways,
Where is th ELD justification ,
Complete waste of truckers money!!!
No safety improvement whatsoever!!!
Big joke FMCSA !
You don’t have to submit refusing it is your best option they can’t force you, it’s better to refuse than to give em a positive, like a blood draw they have to
get a warrant and that’s after a field sobriety test was done, these nazi’s are
trained to (supposed to be trained to) spot impairment, on site determination
is difficult for them to prove they use a number system to reference 15 nano
ghams is the line used by them to determine weather your high at the time
or not, what’s screwed up here is it doesn’t matter what your numbers are any
number will get you a impairment charge it just has to be in your blood.
I believe you guys are missing the point, if they get this going nation wide the revenue that they bring in off of false positives will mean big bucks for them and pure hell for all drivers. America stop caring for most years ago, and some, they just never cared for.
This test is about money…. Michigan is one of the worst States you can drive in, multiple weigh stations were closed 2017/2018 so they pull drivers over 2-3 cars at a time looking for tickets & violations.I had a route daily to Holland !!!! HORRIBLE!!!!I was never pulled over but a lot of drivers were!!!
The over regulation and deficient laws against truckers needs to stop. First, you have the ELD baloney where they said it would improve safety and reduce truck related accidents. That was bogus, because they have discovered that it did just the opposite, as more truckers were killed in the past year since the ELD started. Now, they have a roadside drug testing program that failed epically during the testing phase, and they want to expand it so there can be many more false positives. God knows how many truckers who are truly innocent will be wrongfully charged because of this.
Something has got to give, and it doesn’t appear that Washington or State governments are going to be logical about the matter. Truckers need to stop hauling and bring America to its knees! Things need to change for truckers, and the only way it appears, is to rock the boat to where the boat sinks! Then perhaps they will listen!
Right on!
Your entire statement is total crap and has nothing to do with the subject at hand, be part of the solution not the biggest problem.
Good luck getting truckers together for any kind of boycott. Half I see can’t speak english anyway!
You are right. That is the way it was planned. The half you speak of that doesnt speak English, never had any rights, therefore they never lost anything.
Amen Sherrie!!! Amen!!!! I’ve said that for a long time!!!! 🙂 Two Thumbs Way Up!!! Great thoughts!!!! 🙂
I agree with Sherrie too
Agree with you completely Sherrie.
If a cop wants a drug test, get out of the truck and call a cab to back home. Abandon what is wrong then someone in the trucking companies will get the message.
The biggest whiners are always the ones that haven’t lost family or friends to impaired drivers. Keep testing till we get it right and get those impaired drivers off my roads.
Who pays for the false positives???
Lost license, lost wages, permanent red mark on your CDL record,
a negative DAC report that keeps one from getting a decent job ever again ! ! !
Should not have been implemented until it was fool proof.
It’s a violation of civil rights! Any testing done outside a controlled environment is a violation of the principles this country was founded on.
Its has been proven an unreliable and its not okay to inforce somthing that is an obvious unjustifiable act.
Ok what are you going to do if you get a false positives on your cdl will you just pay the fine and lose your license for a year then work for crap when you get it back for the next 10 year before it comes off your license good luck with that I all for getting impaired drivers off the road what about the good ones are taken off the road where is there Justice
Seven years to retirement, at which point all the DOT and FMCSA types can kiss my hind end. Trust me, the door will not hit me there…I’ll be heading out it too fast.
The DNA theft is a major concern. The government is attempting to get all of us categorized in their data bank for our safety of course
The DNA theft is a major concern. The government is attempting to get all of us categorized in their data bank for our safety of course
Mark do yourself a favor try to find a different occupation before they force you into slavery.
Cannabidiolic acid or CBDa is one of about a hundred cannabinoids present within the cannabis plant. First isolated in 1996, CBDa is a precursor of cannabidiol (CBD), currently one of the most sought after of the cannabinoids. Found most abundantly in the raw cannabis plant, the benefits of CBDa are only just beginning to be fully understood.
CBDA vs. CBD
Cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) is found in fresh whole plant cannabis. Over time, the substance breaks down through the process of decarboxylation, transforming into CBD. It does this by removing the acid group of the molecule. CBDA is the parent molecule of CBD (1).
Both CBD and CBDA have unique health benefits that keep your endocannabinoid system running smoothly. For example, CBDA may not be as effective as CBD for inhibiting breast cancer cell proliferation (6), but it is more effective than CBD as a nausea and vomiting treatment (2).
Health Benefits of CB
CBDA may help to inhibit the migration of highly aggressive breast cancer (3). Recent studies show that CBDA has antibacterial (4), anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory (5) and anti-tumor properties. One study showed CBDA may also have anti-nausea effects.
Extraction process
The methods for extraction vary, however, the most convenient procedure is known as the oil-based method. In this process, the plant is dipped in the carrier oil specifically olive or hemp oil, for separating the components. In comparison to the use of unsafe solvent-based approach in which hexane, butane or alcohol is pushed through the plant which helps in extraction of the chemical. Larger companies might use the CO2-based procedure in which the material is placed under high pressure. It is the safest method which produces the purest product.
Benefits as a medicine
The end product has high levels of CBD while low levels of THC, making it a perfect oil for those who want to seek benefits from Marijuana without any psychoactive effects. It is an ideal oil which helps in treating psychological problems, neurodegenerative disorders and epilepsy, aids in treating cancer, brain tumors and has anti-inflammatory properties.
It helps in treating anxiety, depression, and seizures. In addition to this, CBD prevents the uptake of THC, leading to the reduced adverse effects of marijuana and still resulting in a calming effect.
CBD & Breast Cancer
Ninety percent of deaths from breast cancer is due to metastasis to the bones and lungs. COX-2 is an enzyme that is expressed in 40% of breast cancer cases where metastasis has occurred in the bones and lungs. A study found that CBD slows breast cancer metastasis, preventing it from spreading to other body parts. (6)
Why use a pilot program if you don’t pay heed to the result?
Just saying.
Why use a pilot program if pay don’t pay heed to the results?
JUST SAYING
They aren’t pulling trucks over for this test. This is a public pilot program for cars. Not sure why the story is even here. Drugged up writer, and the responses of fellow cdl holders is quite disturbing.
(Michigan driver)
They admittedly say they are that its unreliable. This is unjustifiable and no one should be subjected to somthing that is such an obvious overreach. I think I would have to refuse to participate. The D.O.J should have already been all over this.
A CDL driver dosn’t want chance their CDL useing somthing that has been admittedly unreliable to determine the outcome.
The truth about this “program” not sure of the name but it was the same concept being used early 2000’s in NYC to become a police officer, people was being tested & people of color was testing positive. The state knew that if people of color was tested by this test, that they knew they [people of color] will come up POSITIVE.. So people of color had to all come as ONE[1]to stop this test. Now i do not know the statistics of what kind of people where being tested by this program, if by any chance it was a great amount of people of color that was coming out positive that means they knowingly knew this would happen!! So there for this would be considered a PLOT once again on how to Ruin people’s lives…
From a state that sells the products. WOW!
The is THC.
That’s like saying that states that sell alcohol shouldn’t use breathalyzers.
the suits are coming , that is lawsuits
They admittedly say they are that its unreliable. This is unjustifiable and no one should be subjected to somthing that is such an obvious overreach. I think I would have to refuse to participate. The D.O.J should have already been all over this.
Should be able to sue the state police and manufacture for a false positive.
I would refuse to take the roadside test citing their miserable results. Then I would demand a blood test.
Well I see a real driver shortage coming, let’s put some more drug free inexperienced rednecks behind the wheel I’d trust an experienced druggie
behind the wheel before I’d trust an idiot who knows nothing about drugs
you think that anyone who uses is incompetent it’s funny how there was less
problems 30 years ago when it was commonplace, party row meant something
now it’s tea and crumpets for the gutless law bieding wimps who are scared
of being an outlaw, they’ve brain washed these morons with fear, drug testing
is out of control it’s done as much damage as good don’t drink to much water
before you piss in a cup or you’ll be called positive even if your not used to be
called dilute now it’s an automatic positive how can you call it positive when
there’s no drugs present?
Insanity: attempting the same mistakes over and over and expecting different results. This is nothing more than a excuse to destroy innocent drivers and take their money. I say continue the program as long as all Michigan state employees, cops included, have to take the same random tests in their vehicles.
Let’s not forget…In the 1970s and 1980s, drug and alcohol use while driving was very common in trucking. This is the root of the reason for such stringent laws. No one wants to go back to that! Well, none of us who have been driving for 20 years of less…
So, the next time you’re waiting around at the dock, and some old man starts off will, “See…back in my day, we did things better…” Remind him that it’s his kind that caused this!
No one touches me except a qualified medical doctor. Qualified to give truckers exams.
Oh come on Police Officers? Most of them are druggies and drunks. How about we truckers test them their not even a paramedic?
So when you go to the Dentist and get stuff for a procedure while you not working can haunt you from months after? Total BS
For what other undisclosed reason is the saliva being collected?
Support the blue.. right…
Oh they won’t up hold unconstitutional raws and violet you’re rights. .
Just comply with the drug test everything will be OK
So if they pass clean, do they get a raise in pay?
With the false positives aside. What ever happened to our 4th constitutional right?illegal search and seizure. Just because we chose a commercial driving job does that mean we are no longer covered under our constitution? I personally don’t remember signing away my rights just to drive a truck.
What constitutional rights,u have the right to pay taxes,the right to be railroaded at their discretion
This is plain and simply a violation of our civil rights. If left unchallenged this will escalate to random stops to check if a citizen is doing anything wrong.