DRUG TESTING

When I first started driving tour buses in Alaska, about 10 years ago, I was required to be drug tested as a condition of employment.  My subsequent driving jobs at Glacier National Park, and at Grand Canyon National Park also required drug tests prior to driving public buses.  Yesterday, I formally signed an acceptance offer of part time employment at La Mesa RV, and once again, one of the conditions of employment was a drug test.  Today, pre-employment drug testing is nothing unusual, and is part of the hiring protocol for many businesses.  If you drive for compensation, it's almost a given that you will be required to take a drug test before going to work.

After filling out more paperwork, and signing the acceptance offer at La Mesa RV, I drove over to a lab, and did what I had to do.  The difference between this experience, and the others, is that the sample is tested instantly, and there is no waiting for the results.  Over the years, the system of testing has changed, primarily to stay one step ahead of the folks trying to beat the system.  I won't go into the details, but the lab person shared some of the ways that people try to avoid having their own urine tested.  We both agreed, it's a lot easier to just be drug free, instead of coming up with these elaborate schemes to avoid a positive drug test.

The main point I'm getting at is this...........A pre-employment drug test in this day and age is nothing out of the ordinary, and you don't hear about ACLU lawsuits against private companies for invasion of privacy, regarding drug testing.  It's pretty simply.  If you want to go to work for a business that gives you a paycheck, and they require a drug test, you either submit, or you go on down the road.  It's your choice.   Why is that so different than the short lived Florida requirement for all welfare recipients to be drug tested.  When a federal judge issued an ACLU lawsuit injunction against Florida's requirement, citing a possible violation of the 4th amendment against unreasonable search and seizure, I have to wonder what happened to common sense.  Why is it OK when you actually work for a business, and they require a drug test, but it's not OK for the state to drug test people who get something for nothing, by way of the generous taxpayers?  Something is wrong with that picture, and I just don't get it!