Do people who fail pre-employment drug tests really want a job? (interviews, jobs)

[Lest ye be Judged]

I would like to know what you employers consider 'recent' drug use.
I have held a medical marijuana card for a few years due to chronic back pain resulting from
an injury.
I have recently tried to return to the working world and i cannot find a job that does not require drug testing.
So i quit smoking ..........that was three months ago.
I have been testing myself for thc every week for the last six weeks and guess what? i am still POSITIVE.
i am reliable, trustworthy, dedicated, and well educated. Yet, i am being treated like a degenerate addict.
i am disgusted with all these posts about pot smokers being lazy and unemployable who cant lay off smokeing for a mere month so that they can get a decent job. i am at ninty days and none of you would give me a job? What exactly constitutes 'recent use'?
THC is stored in fat cells and for some of us it is stored for a lot longer than you might think.
Alcohol is a much more destructive substance, yet because it is not stored for more than a few hours, it is perfectly acceptable to consume it frequently. i could be a raging alcololic and you would give me a job........is that fair?
and what the hell gives you any say in what a person does on their own free time, anyway?
Do you let your boss tell you what you can and cant do on your own free time? If it does not affect their attendence or job performance in any way is it any of your business? If it is, in fact, your right to dictate your employees entire life in such a way shouldnt you be paying them for 24 hours a day, for all seven days per week?
How many of you hippocrites smoke a joint on the weekend, but punish everyone else for doing the same thing?????

[Tracysherm]

I suggest you go back and read the whole thread. I never intended my complaints to apply to job applicants who are users of prescribed medical marijuana. My complaints were purely about the people who use it recreationally, and who know ahead of time that the job requires a clean drug test, and who choose to test positive.

Medical MJ is very new to my state, but I imagine that we would treat it just like we treat applicants who are on prescribed opiates. They test positive, they produce a valid doctor's note/prescription, and they're usually okay. I would imagine that in states where Medical mj is legal, there are new employment laws around hiring people who use it legally. NJ has yet to issue anything.

We have a bunch of jobs that require driving of disabled people, and our vehicle insurer still requires us to only hire people in those jobs with clean drug tests. When someone tests positive and it's a valid Rx, the burden is then on them to show that their ability to drive safely is not impaired. This is usually handled by a questionnaire their doctor must complete.

[doodlemagic]

Like you said the drugtest costs you money not them so they figure they'll drink a lot of water and pass and if they dont heck it doesn't cost them any money it costs you money. some companies charge the employee for the drug test and its refunded if they pass or on the first paycheck.

as far as drug testing thats another issue. I wont all into the argument about how its not effective or efficient but a few things. pot which is the mildest drug of all is the one thats going to screw most people on a drug test and stays the longest. its the heroin and coke heads that are going to steal from you or not show up no the potheads. ill take a pothead over a casual drinker any day of the week.

im a pothead myself, i also work a fulltime job and run a 2 million dollar business on the side, im far from lazy and companies like yours will miss out on having an employee like me as i wont work for companies who drug test out of principal as i dont feel its up to you to dictate if i smoke a joint after work instead of having a beer. that said i have passed drug tests on numerous occasions drinking special drinks, bringing someone elses pee, drinking lots of water. if someoen isn't an idiot they can smoke a joint on the way to the test facility and still pass so i guess at least drug tests weed out the complete idiots.

one other thing drug tests dont test for impairment but simply for use in last 3o-60 days id be more concerned about impairment on the job then my employee taking a trip to jamaica and getting high 3 weeks before startin gthe job.

[doodlemagic]

Originally Posted by TracySam

We are a human services/ behavioral health provider. We mostly hire people to be residential counselors for adults with mental illness or developmental disabilities. We have what looks like high turnover, but compare with nation-wide benchmarks in our field, our turnover rate is below average. Our entry-level pay rate is competitive, and beats that of other providers in our state and the state next door.

Yes, I understand that there are some who are truly addicted to drugs, but I believe these are mostly recreational users. And if it's marijuana, it's very unlikely there's a physical dependency, just a psychological dependence. I see the claims that it can create physical dependence, but I've read nothing that's held up under the scrutiny of sound research methods. But if a person is in the grips of addiction, maybe they should not be so focused on applying for jobs that clearly require drug tests.

it costs you money not them so they will roll the dice and hope they pass. if they do cool if not the money is out of your pocket not theirs.

[Beaconowner]

Originally Posted by TracySam

Medical MJ is very new to my state, but I imagine that we would treat it just like we treat applicants who are on prescribed opiates. They test positive, they produce a valid doctor's note/prescription, and they're usually okay. I would imagine that in states where Medical mj is legal, there are new employment laws around hiring people who use it legally. NJ has yet to issue anything.

What you imagine, especially in NJ is simply not true, and it's not true for the other states that have legalized medical marijuana either.

Medical marijuana patients have NO PROTECTION from state DUI laws where ANY LEVEL of THC or metabolites are present in the individual, whether they are impaired or not doesn't matter.

NO, employees in NJ, and every other state with medical marijuana laws, have NO LEGAL RECOURSE if they are fired for testing positive, even if they are a medical marijuana patient complying with their state laws.

Google "Dish Network" and "Marijuana" and read about a parapalegic who got excellent work reviews, never used at work and had no performance issues, but was fired because of a positive test.

[Tracysherm]

Okay, I get all you are saying, and I don't necessarily disagree with you. But look again: this thread was NOT about medical marijuana!

I have not seen any new employment laws in NJ protecting medical mj users, so if it came up, my company would just get legal advice. Since all of our direct service jobs require driving, we would have to adhere to what our auto insurer requires (most companies with a fleet do, and have little say in the matter, even if they are very supportive of medical marijuana). But if it were a clinical or office job and the person had a valid Rx for medical mj, knowing how my company operates, they may very well choose to hire the person.

But the posts that started from today on do not really belong in this thread. The thread is about recreational pot users who knowingly take the test knowing they'll fail.

[Rkstar71]

To all you folks who don't like marijuana guess what... It's going to be recreational in a few years.

What will you do then?

[Tracysherm]

Oh my. Go back and read the thread! There is nothing in here about any of us not liking marijuana, or even disapproving of it. The thread is about the judgment of people who use it, and know they will test positive, and apply for the job anyway, and take the test when they are told numerous times that the State prohibits us from hiring anyone with a positive result.

There are plenty of other wonderful threads about being for or against marijuana in general or medical marijuana. This thread was just about people who knowingly apply for, interview for, and take a pee test for a job when they know they will be disqualified.

[changeisdue]

Originally Posted by Rkstar71

To all you folks who don't like marijuana guess what... It's going to be recreational in a few years.

What will you do then?

Continue to not like it and not smoke it.

[RogersParkGuy]

Mandatory drug testing is absurd. It is just a way to intimidate prospective job seekers, to send a clear message: "We own you. You will have no secrets from us." Unless someone's drug use impedes their ability to work, it is none of their employer's business.