Should you tell your company recruiter everything?

Let me start off by saying thank you for taking the time to read this, I truly appreciate it. I really want everyone's opinion on this topic. So i guess i should probably explain my situation. I am a young man who use to be a regular cannabis user i have been 2 months drug free and i truly want to better my life because i have a little one on the way. I recently Was having a conversation with a recruiter for a trucking company he asked if had done any drugs in the past 6 months. My question is should i lie about this or be completely honest? I know i can pass a drug test its just i truly hate being a lier.

 

If you say yes you won't be hired. Plain and simple.
You will be required to do a pre employment drug test for whoever you end up working for as a commercial driver.
I would suggest getting some at home kits and as long as you can pass those you can go to work. Never admit to doing anything illegal. Some say it can take 3 months to produce a clean a urine sample, depends on how heavy a user you were. That being said, if you are going to do this, your weed smoking days are over.

Something else to consider will be a lot of companies do hair testing. It is not the law - yet - they do it on their own accord. You will need to find a company that does not do hair testing, only urine testing. There are plenty. @Chinatown can help you with companies for your area.

The holier than thou crowd will probably be along shortly to say we don't need any pot heads or drug addicts in trucking and probably suggest you flip burgers. Don't worry about them. If you are truly wanting to follow through and start a career in trucking and do it right I don't see any reason why a person who used to smoke weed can't quit and become have a successful driving career. That being said... If you go into it and can't break the habit, then I would go to the other side and say it isn't for you. There is no reason you should not be given a chance to straighten up and provide for your kid by doing the trucking gig.

Keep us updated. Like to see people make a good life for themselves/family.

 

If there is the slightest chance you will smoke ever again don't get your CDL. There is no essay question drug test. You can and will be randomly tested. In case of accident you will be tested. Being out of work & no job is bad, failing a test or refusing a test will make any situation much worse. After you get CDL & a job you can get a message in the truck that says you have X time to get to an address and pee in a cup. There is no safe time.

Military recruiters used to ask "are you a botanist? How do you KNOW that plant was what you thought it was?"

 

I hate to tell you to lie but like someone stated if you tell them yes you won't be hired plain and simple.
You could wait until six months go by and then when you say no you won't be lying.
The bottom line is can you pass your drug test?
If you take a drug test and you fail you may screw your chances of ever being hired by that company.
And it will also go on your record that you did fail a drug test.
So if it was me I would go somewhere and pay to do your own drug test and make sure that you can darn well pass it before you take a drug test for a company.

 

Thanks guys i don't plan on risking my life or anyone else's for a plant.

Thank you for the feed back and thanks for not ripping me apart. I know how rewarding this career can be and i know the sacrifices you guys have to make. Now i am wondering if the companies report to the DOT if you hang up the phone when they ask you that/ tell them your situation. I just hope by not answering that question it hasn't affected me getting my CDL's or working in the industry.

 

No, if you hang up the phone they won't report you to the dot. They will report you to the dot if you either fail or even simply deny a drug test. This is why I think at home kits or otherwise confidential drug tests where the results are only available to you is the route you should take before you need to go and do a drug test. Once you are clean you should begin then.

 

Oh and by the way in addition to my last reply I wanted to say that I commend you on wanting to get off of the drugs and get on the straight and narrow. I'm an alcoholic who has been sober since 2002 and my life has changed dramatically. Sobriety is a much much better life with much much more freedom.
Just remember it's ten miles into the woods and ten miles back out

 

Thanks man, It truly is freeing not having your happiness based on a substance. I watched my father struggle with alcohol my whole life. I know what a demon that can be. I really cant tell you guys how much I appreciate all this positive feed back. It really is inspiring seeing people I don't even know wish me the best.

 

Your welcome congratulations and take it a day at a time and it will pay off in volumes.
You're probably going to have some Temptations down the line so I would highly think about getting into a support group where you have people that have been down the road that you are going down.
Sooner or later we have a bad day and the first thing we want to do is catch a buzz or get intoxicated to fix our problems and if we don't have the right tools we are guaranteed to fail sooner or later. Trust me I have been there and I struggled with this for many many years before 2002.
Best wishes to you