Drugs and the workplace, is it a concern?

[Fixer 166]

Just putting this out there.
One of the reasons Suncor, I believe it is, is being stopped from doing random tests is that they couldn't prove that random tests would lessen incidents. In other words most incidents involve people who are clean.

Edit: here ya go
http://www.mymcmurray.com/suncor-loses- ... ll-barred/
From my iPad

[keith1612]

Just putting this out there.
One of the reasons Suncor, I believe it is, is being stopped from doing random tests is that they couldn't prove that random tests would lessen incidents. In other words most incidents involve people who are clean.

Edit: here ya go
http://www.mymcmurray.com/suncor-loses- ... ll-barred/
From my iPad

not shocking to hear at all
honestly in all the workplaces and jobsites i have been on this has never been a concern other than by big companies to look good.
there are no real stats to back it up for a reason.
worksafe BC would be all over it if there was a problem.

[Smurf]

Keith 1612 wrote:

You twisted that around nicely.
i dont think i saw any posts saying there was a marijuana workplace issue.
most are saying the opposite, pot smokers get punished at work for failing drug tests when the smoked 20 days prior.
thats not a drug problem thats a drug test problem.
i still see zero factual evidence of daily marijuana abuse on jobsites.
nobody should be penalized at work under todays standards for failing a marijuana test, there is 100% no way to prove when or how its in your system.
thats like charging a guy for impaired driving today for having 6 beer at home 2 weeks ago.
the laws are allowing it solely on its a criminal act regardless of why ,when or how.
time to change the laws.
if they legalize marijuana as they should that would force drug testing methods to be throw out or corrected.
having false tests is not a good system.

Try again or maybe try reading.
I'll give you a hint.

My helper, a quite good carpenter, would smoke a doobie at lunch and was useless in the afternoon, lost all ability to think through the planning part, and could only do what he was told - had a pretty complete memory loss. - guess he had some good stuff.

You would probably say he's no problem.
I would say he is definately not working up to his potential and probably dangerous around power tools.
Not an employee I would want on my job site.
Would I fire him, no not right off the bat. I would work with him and if he couldn't change his ways I would fire him. He would be sent home every time he was "useless".

They are out there whether you want to believe it or not.

[Smurf]

I am not saying drugs are rampid at worksites. I am saying they are there and that as drug use increases problems at work safety and other areas increase. It is much easier to prevent an accident than it is to clean up after. Most of the time accident investigations turn up problems that need correction. You try to do this on the first incident not wait until there are lots of statistics to prove there is a problem. You are trying to prevent the statistics. As is proven by the fact there have been three deaths involving drugs in one area there is a problem. It is only common sense that if there is problems there is problems elsewhere. Now is the time to work on prevention, not pass it off as nothing important. Every life is important. This deserves attention now. There has to be some way to prevent these problems and it is not necessary to wait for Workplace Safety or anyone else. Just like it is not necessary to wait for legalization to start proper education on the hazards of drug use. The time is now and we should all be pushing for it.

[Corneliousrooster]

I wish the same amount of "concern" was exercised with regards to prescription meds (and the mixing of) - plenty of out to lunch workers hopped up on pain meds to get them through the day that is not tested for and seems to be acceptable without question at any workplace I have seen.....

I would also be curious to see the stats with regards to workplace accidents of those using pot and those that don't - I have a feeling it would make the argument that pot use decreases workplace accidents (kinda like driving). Plenty more people not on any drugs get into accidents than those on drugs......

[steven lloyd]

You would probably say he's no problem. I would say he is definately not working up to his potential and probably dangerous around power tools. Not an employee I would want on my job site.

I would have fired him for smoking marijuana at lunch and coming back to work. I would have also fired him for having a beer and coming back to work. Neither of these examples is related in any way; however, to the issue of whether or not the use of either of these substances being legal for responsible social use by any responsible adult. That is no one else's business.

[mitchbaywatch]

Quote from Smurf,

"As is proven by the fact there have been three deaths involving drugs in one area there is a problem"

Are you lumping alcohol in there? Your first post said alcohol and drugs. Just wondering, alcohol is a drug
so no big deal, you just seem to come back to drugs all the time.

Sorry if this does not appear right on the forum (new at posting in forums, first time poster long time reader)

[Smurf]

It is others business if the hangover and impairement carry over to the work place, onto the road or wherever. Actually the topic say nothing about legal or illegal drugs, but I was originally thinking more on the line of illegal drugs. If it comes to safety I see no difference in the two. I also still believe 100% that legaliization will increase drug use and the associated problems.

I agree corneliuos, that is why I said earlier a proper test for impairement. There are probably as many or more impaired by legal over the counter and prescribed medication.

I wish we could actually see statistics of workers and drivers that are impaired compaired to ones that aren`t boken down by age etc. and I`ll bet the impaired are much higher.

Earlier here or somewhere Steven you said you had never heard someone saying they would start using drugs if they became legal. I don`t believe I have either. However I know lots of people including myself that probably would have tried them when I was younger if they were legal. I would probably give pot a try today for pain if it was legal as I`m sure many would. I`m not to the stage of trying to get a permit but might just try it. At this point I am using pain methods that don`t include drugs. I believe there are people (lots) and I know some that have avoided them because they are illegal.

Hopefully we don`t just turn this into another argument about legal illegal drugs. Tylenol is no safer than meth if it impairs you.

[steven lloyd]

Earlier here or somewhere Steven you said you had never heard someone saying they would start using drugs if they became legal. I don`t believe I have either. However I know lots of people including myself that probably would have tried them when I was younger if they were legal.

There is plenty of indication that as a black market (ie. unregulated) drug it is far more accessable to youth. If it was made available through regulated sources, we (society) would have much more control over its distribution. There is no shortage of the drug available right now, and there is no regulation over its distribution - other than the fact it is illegal and "prohibited" and we can see how well that is working after more than eighty years of prohibition laws.

ETA: This argument; however, is moot and doesn’t matter much. I doubt I will see marijuana legalized in my life time so I know that a very significant portion of the tax money I pay government will continue to be wasted in a completely ineffective and useless effort that creates far more harm than it solves (as our drug laws solve nothing and create much chaos and strife).

[Smurf]

Steven do you actually believe it is any harder for minors to get alcohol today than if it was illegal. I highly doubt it. When I was young and when my children were young we all knew where to get alcohol anytime we wanted it. When I was young living miles out on a farm in rural Sask it was next to impossible because I did not steal from my parents. As soon as I turned 16 and could drive I could get alcohol any time I wanted it, but again my father had a lot to say about that. Making drugs legal WILL NOT make them any harder to get. Do you actually belive minors have a problem getting cigarettes or alcohol today.

[grammafreddy]

Steven do you actually believe it is any harder for minors to get alcohol today than if it was illegal. I highly doubt it. When I was young and when my children were young we all knew where to get alcohol anytime we wanted it. When I was young living miles out on a farm in rural Sask it was next to impossible because I did not steal from my parents. As soon as I turned 16 and could drive I could get alcohol any time I wanted it, but again my father had a lot to say about that. Making drugs legal WILL NOT make them any harder to get. Do you actually belive minors have a problem getting cigarettes or alcohol today.

I agree with you ... because their parents will just boot for them.

[steven lloyd]

Do you actually belive minors have a problem getting cigarettes or alcohol today.

Smurf - do you actually believe they have a problem getting marijuana now? Apparently not - according to the facts. Again, this argument is old and moot. I fully expect prohibition, and all the very costly (social and fiscal) problems associated with it (while having no impact on reducing illegal drug use) along with the complete waste of a huge portion of our tax dollars to continue through my life time. You seem far more interested in supporting and protecting your position than challenging it.

[mitchbaywatch]

If is it legal you would have to find someone to bootleg for you, if illegal just deal with the supplier direct
seems much easier to me for minors to get while it is illegal

[Smurf]

I do not believe it would be any harder to find a bootlegger than a dealer. They will always be there and kids will always know them. Where there is a customer there is a supplier. The law of supply and demand.

What does this have to do with drugs in the workplace.

[mitchbaywatch]

you and steve were talking about it so I put my 2 cents in