Pubdate: Sun, 08 Sep 2013
Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO)
Copyright: 2013 St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/qFJNhZNm
Website: http://www.stltoday.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/418
Author: Bill McClellan

WE'RE STILL CONFLICTED ON MARIJUANA USE

Terry Duncan dropped out of high school when his dad died. He wanted 
to earn some money and help the family. He got a job laying sod. That 
job didn't last forever, but it set the tone for his career.

He's had a series of jobs, most of which involved physical labor. 
He's done a little sales work, and he once ran a tavern, but mostly 
he's worked with his hands and his back.

Ten years ago, when he was 45, he got a job in maintenance with the 
Edward Jones Family YMCA in Maryland Heights. He started part time in 
2003 and went full time in 2004. Funny how things work out. He had 
been reared in Maryland Heights, and when he found the job, he was 
living in Maryland Heights. That's where his wife's house was. They'd 
both been married before.

For reasons other than geographical, it seemed the perfect job. He 
did carpentry, some electrical work and general maintenance. At one 
time or another, he'd done all these things. The Y sent him to 
classes, where he became a certified pool operator. When the summer 
camp wanted to set up an archery range, he volunteered to do it. He's 
a bow hunter.

He was making about $10.70 an hour after 10 years, and the job had 
benefits. His wife does day care work, so they get by. At least they used to.

One day last month, Duncan was on the loading dock running some 
redwood through a table saw. He was making floor planks for an area 
around the sauna. The wood was sticking a little bit, so Duncan was 
pushing it along. The saw nipped his thumb and sliced a little bit off.

While the injury was not serious enough to warrant a trip to the 
emergency room, company policy required Duncan to go to a medical 
office for his injury. At the doctor's office, Duncan was given a 
Breathalyzer test and was asked to provide a urine sample. He did, 
but his heart sank. He knew he would test positive for marijuana.

He came of age in the pot-saturated '70s. In those days, you'd go to 
a party and somebody would hand you a joint. Eventually, fashions 
changed, and most of his peers switched to booze. The minority that 
stuck with pot were more or less underground. Duncan was in that number.

As Duncan tells the story, by the time he was 50, his pot smoking 
could have been classified as medicinal. Years of physical labor had 
taken their toll. He'd had neck surgery and knee surgeries. He 
experienced chronic low-level pain. Rather than take painkillers, 
he'd smoke a little pot before going to bed.

So he knew he'd fail the test.

He said he told his supervisors. That was not easy. He does not fit 
the image most people might have of pot smokers. He does not look or 
act like an aging hippie. He's a blue-collar guy, a Silent Majority 
type. He said he explained that he never smoked on the job and never 
came to work high. A few tokes before he went to sleep. That was his style.

He said his bosses are nice people and seemed sympathetic. Let's wait 
and see how the test comes out, they said.

The test came back positive. Duncan was fired. He said his 
supervisors said the decision came from downtown.

I called the downtown YMCA and spoke to a woman in human resources. I 
explained the situation. She said she'd get back to me with a 
comment. She did not.

But Duncan had given me a copy of the YMCA of Greater St. Louis 
employee handbook. Sadly, it's quite clear. "No employee will report 
to work with any alcohol or illegal drug (which includes prescription 
medications which are not currently prescribed for the employee) in 
his/her system."

These are good times for pot smokers. Attitudes toward marijuana have 
shifted in the last few years. Colorado and Washington have 
essentially legalized the stuff. Almost half the states allow 
marijuana for medicinal use. In St. Louis this summer, a law went 
into effect that reduces the penalty for possession of small amounts 
of pot and allows those cases to go to the municipal court system. A 
city police sergeant is a lobbyist for a group that wants to legalize 
marijuana.

It's like Bob Dylan said - the times they are a-changin'.

But not everywhere, and not all at once. We're still conflicted. 
Federal law and state laws are sometimes at variance. In many 
municipalities, it's not a crime to possess pot, but it's a crime to 
sell. And, of course, pot smokers can still have their lives turned 
upside down.

Duncan knows he's going to have a hard time finding work at 55. And 
his knees still hurt. So does his neck. But he's no longer easing 
that pain with a few tokes before bed. He's afraid if he does get a 
job interview, he'll have to take a drug test.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom