Drug Abuse Testing
Drug abuse testing is the workplace’s answer to skyrocketing operating costs which may be traced back to the use of drugs by employees. Not only do drugs interfere with employees’ work performance, but a much more serious consideration is the danger which workers with an altered state of consciousness present to the public at large. Quite often workers operate heavy machinery, maneuver pallets of merchandise, or perform vital labor all around customers, patients, and clients. Have you ever stopped and considered what would happen if the forklift operator at the local big box office supply store was seeing double because of the drugs he took? What about the nurse who had one too many drinks? What about the teacher who is high on hallucinogens? Nobody wants the school bus driver to be drunk, the anesthesiologist to be high, or the cop to be strung out on heroin. For this reason drug abuse testing has a tried and true place in today’s society.
Of course, it is not surprising that a whole new cottage industry has sprung up to help drug users pass the drug abuse testing. For a long time additives were sold via the Internet that promised to get a user’s urine squeaky clean. It is not surprising that the testers caught on and are now testing for traces in urine samples of such chemicals as glutaraldehyde and pyridinium chlorochromate, which are the cleaning agents of choice for those who smoke marijuana.
Yet even with improved drug abuse testing, there is no guarantee that the sample is genuine. In a society where Internet spam speaks of making a buck while you sleep, a new industry has sprung up that literally makes money while using the restroom! There are websites all over the ‘Net now selling actual human urine that has been pre-tested for drugs, nicotine, and even diseases. How do the sellers rationalize their potentially unleashing drug crazed doctors, teachers, and other personnel on our children and families? Easy! The big selling point is to help us circumvent genetic profiling by the evil government; of course, they have yet to prove the big conspiracy that exists between the local office supply store and the secret government agency that wants to do genetic profiling, but it sure sounds good to someone who wants to gloss over the fact that she or he is supporting irresponsible behavior. What is next?
Disclaimer: Cliff Schaffer does not personally endorse or support any of the comments made within the writings of this article.
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