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The only problem I see with drug testing is it is selectively applied, which breeds abuse and injustice. I have seen it used to "get rid of" undesirable employees, and for personal venue's. Also, there is quite a rip off industry that has sprung up to service this need, quite often at taxpayers expense. When school teachers, cops, lawyers, judges, and all the people who work for the legal system, and all the Fed and State employees who are paid by my tax dollars have to start taking urines tests, and have to put up with the BS of randoms, then it will mean something. A friend is an elementary school teacher, and she smokes pot. When I asked her about testing, her reply was "Our union wont allow it." Piss test a DM on a cattle boat, but not the people who teach your children? Something is definitely wrong here. It is also true that the tests are not reliable. I had a false positive for marijuana once, but I screamed and hollered, and got another (blood) test, which came up negative. The lab tech assured me there is no way for a false positive to come up, until I handed him the blood test. His reply was gold; "Huh." Additionally, urine testing completely bypass' addressing the worst of all our dangerous drugs, alcohol. Alcohol kills and maims more people each year than all the other drugs combined. While working in Alaska, I can tell you for sure, I worked with people who were drunk, drinking at work and on the job, but could pass any urine test you want to give. Exxon Valdez. The skipper passed a drug test. How much did his alcohol use cost us? We're losing the War on Drugs at an amazing pace. Drug testing has had ZERO impact on that, its stated purpose when legislated. Shit, you can get busted smoking crack cocaine in a motel room with a hooker, and still be mayor of our country's capitol city!!! Real strong message there. Prisons are full, and being contracted out to corporations who operate prisons at a profit. The US is the number one imprisoner of its people. Instead of slowing drug abuse, what we have done is imprison people with a severe health and social problem, and its a growth industry. They get high in jail for Christ's Sake!! Imagine if we random tested Congress, Senate and all their employees and support personnel. *All* employees of the Justice Department. Even the suggestion of such an act would cause so much noise and debate, you would be able to hear it on Jupiter. Half the Senate and Congress are drunk. Lets enact legislation requiring our lawmakers to pass daily breathalyzer tests on their way back in from lunch. Sorry, but I see drug testing as a complete hose job. Completely ineffectual, applied without justice, unconstitutional and it fails to address the worst and most common of all drugs. Legalize the shit, and tax it. People who want to get high are going to. Period. You cannot legislate morals or responsibility. Scott ----- Original Message ----- From: "Alton Hall, Jr." <ahall@da*.co*> To: "Trey" <trey@ne*.co*> Cc: "Christian Gerzner" <christiang@pi*.co*.au*>; <klind@al*.ne*>; "Techdiver" <techdiver@aquanaut.com> Sent: Saturday, June 17, 2000 11:47 AM Subject: Re: Dive Master's Wanted > Interestingly random drug testing is used only sporadically in the commercial > dive industries. As of last week the Federal Appellate Court that controls the > Gulf states ruled that OSHA did not apply leaving only USCG regulations. The > Coast Guard requires mandatory drug testing in all cases involving serious > injury. I am often amazed at the high rate of drug use detected when such > "unannounced" testing is performed. Recently a 10 man dive crew > all tested positive for either cocaine or marijuana use. Perhaps the ADC can > learn a lesson from the WKPP. > Alton > -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
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