Drug Testing

I was talking with a LEO friend of mine and I asked him if it was still true that 80% of crime is drug related, and his answer was YES. I had read this stat about 15 or 20 years ago, and it stuck with me.

Read the arrest reports in the paper and you will see that 80% of the arrests are drug related.....break ins to get money, muggings to get money, etc. and the money is to buy drugs, and DUIs as well.

So I can believe that you are in the 20% that does not commit crimes to get money for drugs. But that still leaves 80% of those committing crimes to get money for drugs.

If I owned 5 trucks and someone with your attitude applied, I would absolutely not hire them. And I would run every test I legally could on the person, including drug tests, urine, blood, hair, and feces, cause it is my #### truck you would be driving. I would go on a 40 mile test ride with the person to see if they could shift worth a #### as well.

 

So you've never done a drug in your life?

And if a hair folicle test proved you smoked marijuana 5 years ago "you must be a low life" and shouldn't get a job?

Just because some one was young, or made a bad choice a few years ago, doesn't mean they would be a bad employee or person in general.

 

So what if he did? Does that change the drug-related conviction stats?

 

Seriously? What does "drug conviction stats" have to do with being a possible good employee?

Must be nice so many of you are perfect, never making a mistake in life, or being young and foolish.

Don't get me wrong, I not pro-drug; growing up in a large metropolitan area, I've seen enough junkies, and see them as the scum of the earth...

But this isn't about junkies, it's about someone who may have made a poor choice long ago, and being prevented employment down the line.

 

The last time I smoked pot was November 17, 1981...got it from my girlfriend's brother when we went and saw Grand Funk in Houston. Then, I went in the Air Force right after school, and have never done anything since.

That said, many friends I had in high school, some of whom still do drugs, have been on continual trouble with the law, or are in prison now. I'm sorry, but I fully believe the stats... and if I had a company, and you used drugs in any of your measurable past, you're not going to work for me.

So what are we arguing about?

 

"someone who may have made a poor choice long ago, and being prevented employment down the line"

How so? If you were subject to FMCSA and tested positive, that's your problem, you knew the rules.

If you smoked pot 5 years ago, but haven't done anything since, and test negative when I go to hire you, no harm, no foul.

 

I see hair folicle testing as too intrusive; if someone were to be denied a job (present day), because they smoked weed 10 years ago...I think thats is ridiculous.

A urine test is enough, in my opinion.

 

Hair follicle tesing doesn't go back 10 years... get real. 60-90 days, maybe..

And there's too many products out there to get past a pee test, so it's not truly effective to detect drug use.

 

"A standard hair follicle screen covers a period of approximately 90 days, but is susceptible to time variation depending on the growth rate of your hair. The hair sample is cut as close to the scalp as possible and the most recent 3.9cm (or 1.5 inches) are tested. It is possible to go back even further than 90 days since the time period is limited only by the length of the hair sample, but is standardized to a 90 day history."

So PLEASE quit overeacting and exaggereting with the 10 year stuff.

 

Hey Pumpkin head, I wouldnt drive for you. Of course I dont believe your "LEO friend" knows what he is talking about. You seem to have missed the point I was making, it was essentially that pot stays in your hair the longest. I really doubt potheads account for any significant percentage of crime. Maybe meth heads, crackheads, or people like that, but not potheads. Im calling BS. Pumpkin said 80% of all crimes are drug related. Sorry I would need a reliable source to even consider that to be any kind of accurate figure.

Being grouchy doesnt make you and your LEO friend right. Dont lump me in with any percent of anything, I'm clean. lol