Drug Testing

But then again, they are on drugs.

So are most people. Pity is, they only test for illegal drugs. If you think that illegal drug use is confined to "those" people, you are dillusional.

Doctors, lawyers, dentists, politicians, actors, engineers, designers, chefs, philanthropists, volunteers, athletes, architects, CEO's, artists, police officers, firemen, surgeons, janitors, teachers and psychiatrists would never be able to successfully perform their jobs if they were "users". /sarcasm

I think they add something to the sample which will react if there are any substances present they're looking for. This test is not conclusive (its my understanding this test also reacts to other things) by any means, and is just used to determine whether or not they send the sample off for more accurate (and more expensive) testing.

I got tested twice when I worked there, once when I processed in and once other time that has a funny story. Ok, so I went to the dirt track in fremont one night and when I got home i put my keys on the desk and went to bed, with VERY bloodshot eyes. So I get a call from the cedar point police at 2 am. Someone who I shall not name swiped my keys stole my car, and went joyriding in my car arround the parking lot and gold dorms, and got arrested. So I had to go pick my car up at gold, and since there are no busses at that time they sent a CP cop to pick me up. Now, louies had just closed and there was a line that went on forever to check into housing. so when I get in the car, the cop is like are you high? And so I told him i went to the dirt track, then he accused me of being drunk because when he met me at the gate he smelled alcohol. I told him "of course you did... there was a line of 80 drunk people not a foot away from us!" Well, because of my eyes, i got random drug tested.

lol...some policy they have on drug testing. all in all i think its a joke. i have my reasons to think this and would rather not say because i think it will make alot of people mad...but yea. its all politics just like anything else in life its about "who you know"

The primary testing is done with a simple test strip built into the cup. They check the color and temperature of the sample. If the temperature is below 92 deg. F then the sample is considered altered. This can be a problem on cold rainy days, especially on particularly thin employees. The strip reacts in different places for a given drug or it's derivatives. There is a color change for any given positive drug results that the donor gave. Problems can occur if the test strip is faulty, or responds incorrectly. This could work either way. In that case it may allow those with greater than threshold drug levels to pass or those who should pass to fail. These are relatively rare but it happens.

If there is a negative result, then the employee is allowed to continue to work or process into their department. Else, there will be a second test.

The second test is none other than the Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry method. (GC/MS) The basic operation is that a small solution with the sample is inserted into the GC/MS. The GC first seperates compounds by their volatility. The MS basically counts how many particles of each mass is processed and graphs the results by number of a given partical vs. their mass.

A picture of the graph is:
http://www.unsolvedmysteries.oregonstate.edu/images/ddt.mass.spectrum.new.gif
This is a sample of air on top of Mary's Peak. This graph shows that there is DDT in the sample. DDT has been banned for many years in the US for enviromental damages it causes. The DDT is probably brought from asia or india as they still use it.

For a drug test, they can come to a resonable conclusion that someone has used a given drug recently by it's presence or derivatives presence. Not only that, but they can detect the chemicals used such as in the detox 30 minute clean kits. It's actually so good that it can give results many years after a body has been buried if they had done a certain drug before death.

In reality, if you fail the drug test that CP gives then you certainly will fail the GC/MS test. On the other hand, if the CP test gives false positive results then the GC/MS test will clear that up.

Wow, I've actually never heard of someone giving out the GC/MS test. Sounds harsh. Honestly though, falsely passing a drug test isn't hard at all. Another thing, I think the whole, "don't drug-out at CP because your endangering lives" is ridiculous. Yeah, its probably not the best choice to light up while you're working. But I don't see how getting baked after work, or on your own time, can at all effect how you perform later. There are a great amount of uniformed Americans who believe that if you get high off of THC, then you obviously will be effected for a longer amount of time than a couple hours.

-S. Eagle

*Legalize Spliff #1- 14% of American's agree with same-sex marriage, 40% agree with the legalization of marijuana.

Both of those percentages are embarassingly low. The "land of the free" should be ashamed of its hypocricy.

Believe me, I am all for what you do on your own time is your own business. Just like what I do on my own time is mine.

But I don't want someone who smoked a joint an hour before work sending me on an open air ride that goes nearly 100mph (or more). Please don't drink, smoke, or snort before work.

What you do after work does not matter to me and shouldn't matter to anyone else.

MrScott

sean_s_eagle said:

*Legalize Spliff #1- 14% of American's agree with same-sex marriage, 40% agree with the legalization of marijuana.

He must have been doped when he wrote that, both of those numbers are way, way off.

And the real ones are......? You can't refute a statement without providing backup.

*** Edited 4/26/2006 2:10:29 PM UTC by djDaemon***

Just as made up as the ones that sean provided.

According to ABC News, 55% of Americans want to make it illegal for same-sex marriages, while only 51% want to make civil unions illegal.

Meanwhile, 46% of Americans support allowing states to regulate marijuana in the same manner as alcohol, according to NORML.org.
*** Edited 4/26/2006 2:12:23 PM UTC by djDaemon***

Beaten to it by Dj.

CP could be like GM and do hair tests...

Except that hair test take time and usually require the sample to be sent to a lab for testing. Urine tests are quick and easy and the results are almost instant.

And they're much cheaper. Seems like a waste of resources to such an expensive test, especially in GM's case - they need all the help they can get. As does Ford, I suppose.

And cheap. About $20.

MrScott

It is a little expensive.

But if some stoned worker cuts his hand off at the Lifter station on an engine line, it's much more expensive to pay his medical bills then it is for the test that would not allow him to work there anyway.

There are too many ways around a simple urine test. Flushing, kits, tea's.. etc. A hair test can go back quite a bit and is pretty hard to fool.

Heck, drinking a few litre's of water the day before can dilute the sample enough that a urine test won't pick it up, depending on how long since you last smoked. There is nothing short of a full body shaving to evade a hair test.

That's absolutely correct, Jugga - tried & true. So I hear, of course.

Coastern3rd - typically (at least in the construction industry), immediately after an on-the-job accident, the first thing they do is a drug test. Of course, a urine test is mandatory before employment as well.

GM will wait for you to grow hair back. I guess newer line workers try this all the time..

no hair, no test, no job.