Posted on 01/04/2019 10:48:24 AM PST by nikos1121
A 2018 survey of employers across the U.S. found that 5% are considering removing marijuana from their workplace drug testing panel in the next 12 months[1]. Perhaps more frightening is the number of employers who are on the fence about the removal of marijuana from their panels – a shocking 23% of employers from the same survey. At first glance, removing marijuana from the panel may seem like a good idea – but is it really?
Aren’t There Pros to Removing Marijuana From my Testing Panel?
Undoubtedly, an employer could identify pros in deciding to stop testing for marijuana in their workplace. The removal of marijuana might bring down the costs of drug testing – with fewer marijuana positives comes faster hiring and positions fill quicker.
Perhaps the biggest perceived pro to dropping marijuana from workplace drug testing is the freedom that employers have to hire more workers. The most common complaint seen in the media about workplace marijuana testing is that it rules out an ever-growing class of potential employees. An associate professor of economics, Abigail Wozniak, recently stated:
(Excerpt) Read more at currentcompliance.org ...
I think there are two reasons for drug testing.
1. One as a pre-employment screening, and I think that’s what the article is looking at, with the argument that marijuana is becoming like alcohol use.
However the MAIN REASON for an employer to test for drugs including marijuana, and maybe the only reason, is to negate an injury if it occurs while the person is using.
AND I KNOW, I CAN HEAR EVERYONE NOW SAYING JUST BECAUSE THERE’S MARIJUANA IN SOMEONE’S URINE AFTER HE’S CHOPPED HIS FINGER OFF, DOESN’T MEAN HE WAS IMPAIRED.
In the real world, the Worker’s Comp Carrier will fight the case hard and will win it. At least here in Georgia.
“In short, marijuana use is on the increase, but is also a high cause of injuries, loss time, absenteeism and poor work effort.”
You do know the Pothead jihad on FR you are provoking daring to say anything negative about marijuana? Get ready to be cited for unproven “anecdotal” evidence.
Yes, and other profanities in my private replies. Yes, it’s a pretty explosive topic. Almost as bad as if you suggest, even slightly suggest, that maybe abortion should be allowed under certain circumstances.
I’m an airline pilot and we get tested randomly for both.
Airlines test for drugs/alcohol because that’s what the FAA requires. It’s my opinion that most (non airline) companies that drug test do it in order to reduce their exposure to lawsuits. If someone runs over another with a forklift and he tests positive for cocaine the company is exposing itself in the inevitable lawsuit for not testing for banned substances. Now that marijuana isn’t banned in most states (they’ll get sued in a state court, not federal), they’re not as likely to be held liable for a marijuana using employee, they can just shrug and say “it’s legal, what do you expect us to do about it?”.
Companies don’t do anything for no reason, there’s always a financial incentive for anything they do. If they’re drug testing it’s because they’re required to by the government, their insurers require it, it makes for good publicity/advertising, or it reduces their exposure to lawsuits.
So why is the impairing drug alcohol rarely if ever tested for?
Drug testing for pot is stupid. It only lets you know if the person has used it in the last 30 days. If there was a test for influence during work that would be OK. Anybody found to be intoxicated on anything, including legal drugs should be fired immediately.
It is tested all the time for injuries by companies that have smart drug testing policies.
Well... at my place of employment...
Run over somebody with a forklift stone cold sober, you are out the door.
I suppose it’s possible to be MORE fired if they find something in a blood test, but I’m not sure what that would look like. Required to run the gantlet on the way out the door, perhaps.
Please post the name/handle of a single FReeper who claims marijuana never does any harm.
It is tested all the time for injuries by companies that have smart drug testing policies.
But not for pre-screening or randomly, as marijuana is. Doesn't add up if liability is the issue.
There’s nothing to indicate that drug testing is their only method of detection, it merely implies that those who have been found to be subpar also tend to fail drug tests.
My daughter had a packages on her coffee table that looked like it had a 1.5” diameter “sweetart” in it. It was called a “Weedtart”. They said it gets you high but takes about 20 minutes to take affect.
And there are brownies.
I’m not a fan of the stuff for recreational purposes, but it appears that it is the best kept meticinal treatment for decades by big pharma. CBD is excellent and has no THC. But there are so many demonstrably effective uses (From personal experiences of my friends and my wife, in some cases regarding the treatment of Cancer) that I can no longer leave my head in the sand. Big pharma and the AMA, as far as I am concerned, are pure evil.
CBD?
Alcohol is legal. So, why would you screen for alcohol if it’s legal.
I mean, you’ve had a beer for lunch, and then you take a pre-employment exam. You blow .02% to .04% you going to exclude them?
Backpedal much?
Get run over by a co-worker in a forklift who has been drinking booze, good.
I’ll tell what is unfair.
We have a number of employees who start at some of these companies as temporary workers, from temp services. They’re urine drug tested when they start, and of course, 95% pass.
They may work for 90 days, when they’re given an offer to go full time with the parent company. At that time they’re HAIR and URINE tested. Most will pass the urine test some, will, many in fact 10-15% will fail the hair test.
And they’ll admit, they used marijuana maybe 6 to 9 months prior.
Drug testing is a laughable waste of time and money. It is only effective for this one drug and it is the least drug of concern.
One can be an alcoholic, crackhead or meth head and easily pass. Hell, they don’t even have tests for many Rx drugs and entire books of designer drugs. You can be a complete designer dope fiend and pass any random test.
Outlawing all forms of cannabis hemp and drug tests were not about our safety. It was purely about keeping alcohol and pharma profits high even though it is clear cannabis is safer and better in every way.
I was referring to testing for alcohol as a pre-employment screen. I am in favor of testing for alcohol for injuries.
Alcohol is water soluble & is gone from the system within 72 hours of consumption.
THC is fat soluble & remains in the system up to thirty days. Testing positive means a set threshold has been exceeded.
This was the Army standard our drug boards used.
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