Pubdate: Fri, 18 Feb 2005
Source: Isthmus (WI)
Copyright: 2005 Isthmus
Contact:  http://www.thedailypage.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/215
Author: Robert Sharpe
Referenced:  http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v04/n1861/a08.html

TEST THIS IDEA

The city of Madison's drug testing policy may do more harm than good.
The invasive tests may compel users; of relatively harmless marijuana
to switch to harder drugs like methamphetamine to avoid testing
positive. Despite a short-lived high, marijuana is the only drug that
stays in the human body long enough to make urinalysis a deterrent.

Marijuana's organic metabolites are fat-soluble and can linger for
days. Synthetic drugs are water-soluble and exit the body quickly.

An employee who uses meth on Friday night will likely test clean on
Monday morning. If you think drug users don't know this, think again.
Anyone capable of running a search .on the internet can find out how
to thwart a drug test.

The mast commonly abused drug and the one most closely associated with
violence is almost impossible to detect with urinalysis. That drug is
alcohol, and it takes far mare lives each year than all illegal drugs
combined. Hangovers don't contribute to workplace productivity and
counterproductive drug tests to absolutely nothing to discourage
America's number-one drug problem.

Robert Sharpe

Common Sense for Drug Policy www.csdp.org

Washington, D.C.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin