Drug Tests

[DrFaroohk]

I'm all for drug tests. Some people with major heroin addictions shouldn't be in the work place. Heroin addicts will steal, rape and pillage just to get what they need. They're not even human when they're in that state of mind. They'll blow some guy in the subway just to get a fix. Sometimes they freak out and destroy large amounts of property. They start gang wars and tear families apart.

The same cannot be said for pot smokers. Yeah, I smoke pot. I don't do it around my children, I don't do it during the day when I have to work, and when I run out I don't go on a rampage. And there's a big difference between being high in the evening after the kids have gone to bed and being completely fried all day. WE ARE NOT THE PROBLEM!

But it sucks because I'm this close to getting a really awesome job (well, by my standards) and bam they want a drug test. The pot has no bearing on anything relevent to the situation with my job, everyone I've interviewed with loves me and they really get a "good vibe" from me, as they said themselves, and now I'm probably not gonna get the job. My only hope is that the little fine print says that the test may or may not be used in determining my eligibility for employment, so possibly they might like me enough to not care.

[BroomJockey]

It's as simple as this, to the company.

Pot is illegal.
You tested positive for an illegal substance.
You have demonstrated a willingness to engage in illegal behaviour.
If you're willing to break one law for your own benefit, you may break others.
You are a bad employment risk.

That is their line of reasoning, and frankly, it's not a terrible one. It probably serves them well in many cases, especially since they can't know whether you're a seldom partaker or a perma-stoner.

[daleduke17]

The drug tests aren't a problem to me for employment. My big problem is the credit check.

[BroomJockey]

The drug tests aren't a problem to me for employment. My big problem is the credit check.

They DO that? Why? To prove you don't need the job, or something?

[anriana]

They DO that? Why? To prove you don't need the job, or something?

If you have a bad credit score then you must be bad with money and susceptible to bribery.

In their reasoning.

[AdminAssistant]

That is their line of reasoning, and frankly, it's not a terrible one. It probably serves them well in many cases, especially since they can't know whether you're a seldom partaker or a perma-stoner.

I agree.

Not to re-hash what's being said constantly, but in this economy, with the high unemployment and everybody and their second cousin trying to get a job....yeah, you're screwed. If I've got two good applicants and one tests positive for pot and the other doesn't, well, then I know who I'm going to hire. I'm going to hire the one who doesn't break laws to fry his brain.

Like it or not, pot is illegal. I used to partake myself, occasionally, until I realized I was killing brain cells and doing something incredibly silly and harmful to my body for no good reason. So, I stopped lighting up at parties and I stopped drinking to excess. Want to relax? Have a nice big glass of red wine and a bubble bath. And hey, you won't be setting a horrible example for your kids!

[Nyoibo]

Not to re-hash

*Ba-dum tsh*

Sorry, we now return you to your regularly scheduled program.

[Dreamstalker]

If you have a bad credit score then you must be bad with money and susceptible to bribery.

In their reasoning.

I'm sure especially now, hundreds if not thousands of otherwise qualified, motivated people are passed over because of a bad credit score that's not their fault (behind on bills due to being laid off, etc). That pisses me off

Back to the OP, I don't get why pot became automatically "bad". There can be legitimate medical uses. What if an applicant, who was prescribed medical marijuana (in a state where this is legal) was denied a job due to the test results?

The "gateway drug" designation IMO is utter crap. I did pot occasionally in college (the campus nurse just wanted to make sure I was being safe; my dad gave me "the talk", make sure I was being safe about it and said to not let our fundie aunt and uncle find out). Have I ever had the desire to try anything harder? No. Have I become "addicted"? No. It depends on the person.

[BroomJockey]

Back to the OP, I don't get why pot became automatically "bad". There can be legitimate medical uses. What if an applicant, who was prescribed medical marijuana (in a state where this is legal) was denied a job due to the test results?

Because it's illegal. That's why it's "bad." If you don't think it has any bad effects, good for you, but it's still illegal, and going against the law has consequences, bad law or not. There's a lot of things that have legitimate medical uses. Heroin is used in hospitals as a pain killer for terminally ill patients. If a person could prove that it was medically prescribed, then they might have a chance at convincing the company to hire them regardless, but they'd probably be best off disclosing that up front.

[Flyndaran]

I wish that silly myth that pot kills brain cells would just die. The only risk from smoking pot is lung cancer.

I take issue with drug tests because they are such blatantly against the 5th amendment. I know the supreme court said they aren't, but come on, how is taking your bodily fluids not making you incriminate yourself?

As to medical marijuana use in particular states, it is still against federal law. That alone means that feds can and have bust state legal pot sales and use. I wouldn't want to hire someone that is breaking federal law and could be jailed at any time.

[tropicsgoddess]

The drug tests aren't a problem to me for employment. My big problem is the credit check.

Same here. But medicinal pot or not, if you take any prescription meds, especially narcotics or opiates you should bring in the prescription with you for your drug test as a way to CYA if it comes out positive. As for pot, it stays in your system for a while whether you do the pee test or the hair test. IIRC somebody told me that it stays in your hair for about 90 days (pot).

[BroomJockey]

I take issue with drug tests because they are such blatantly against the 5th amendment. I know the supreme court said they aren't, but come on, how is taking your bodily fluids not making you incriminate yourself?

Self-incrimination only applies to spoken or written testimony, otherwise it's classified as physical evidence, similar to fingerprints or a DNA sample. Further, it's to a private entity, the 5th amendment only applies to criminal investigations.

[Flyndaran]

Self-incrimination only applies to spoken or written testimony, otherwise it's classified as physical evidence, similar to fingerprints or a DNA sample. Further, it's to a private entity, the 5th amendment only applies to criminal investigations.

Do this or we will not hire you so you can feed your family sounds like duress and not legal. Physical evidence are those things, but you normally need a court order to obtain them, but not for your urine.
I still don't like the erosion of our rights. Only the second amendment seems to be getting stronger.

[the_std]

Do this or we will not hire you so you can feed your family sounds like duress and not legal.

Except that there is more than one job in the world, and you are not in any way entitled to employment with any one company.

[Flyndaran]

Except that there is more than one job in the world, and you are not in any way entitled to employment with any one company.

If that were true, then no one would have a problem with not being hired because of race or religion.