Or, anyone who wants to use CBD and the wacky tabaky should avoid commercial truck driving as a job.
Used THC products in last 6 months, stay away from CDL school.
Discussion in 'Trucking Schools and CDL Training Forum' started by tscottme, Jun 26, 2025.
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A given law does not inherently make a particular action right/wrong by default; previous legal statutes have been struck down in hindsight, and previously prohibited behavior has since been legalized; slavery and alcohol, respectively, are perfect examples. We change the law all the time, both on a state and federal level. The feds could wake up tomorrow, deschedule cannabis, and this whole premise goes out the window, with the only remaining factor being: "can this person safely operate this vehicle", which at the end of the day is what this comes down to.
It seems to me that anyone genuinely concerned with the principle of driver safety would want the most precise, accurate testing possible, rather than this black-and-white, all-or-nothing approach to cannabis use among truck drivers / drivers generally. A perfectly safe, high quality driver getting dinged for cannabis use from a couple days prior, while a habitual drunkard manages to avoid detection and stays on the road, is absolutely not a good/just outcome (if safe driving is the ultimate priority).
I am certain there are countless ... countless, truckers, who throw back several beers following a shift, have a good meal, relax, get some sleep, wake up and safely operate their vehicle the next day; there is no reason that someone substituting a joint for those beers should not be able to do the same thing, so long as they can drive safely when the time comes. As I mentioned earlier, the only truly relevant variable is one's ability to safely operate a motor vehicle.
The problem is that current testing for cannabis is incredibly limited in its ability to detect active intoxication; this same issue does not exist with alcohol or most other drugs of use. While entirely avoiding all forms of cannabis may be the best approach for individuals pursuing a career in the trucking industry, it is not a good solution to the underlying issue of better/more accurate detection of active cannabis intoxication vis-à-vis driver safety.
As an example, Canada's judiciary acknowledged the inherent limitations of testing for cannabis intoxication, and as a result implemented a 30-day 'toke to yoke' rule for their pilots. So, Canada determined their pilots can in fact use cannabis, but they must wait 30 days between their last usage and next time flying. Of course, that's just Canada's opinion, and the USA is a different country than Canada, but it is worth noting that Canada's aviation (and trucking) industry have strong safety records and relatively low accident rates.
We need better science/medical testing to properly get to the root of this issue. Given cannabis testing is a relatively novel subject, I am hopeful/optimistic that we will have more accurate/precise means of detecting active intoxication in the not-so-distant future.
My two cents.Last edited: Jul 20, 2025 at 12:04 PM
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But but but…. I cheat with someone’s else’s urine……
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There are thousand's of jobs that are not regulated by the USDOT/FMCSA. If you can not work without using marijuana or any other schedule 1 drugs, find one of those. Your opinion doesn't matter.
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