Holy shit I miss weed....

Seriously. I got my RN last year and work at a hospital where I'm subject to random drug tests. I haven't had any in over a year, some out of fear but mostly for lack of access. I have a friend that can get me some now, but she's kind of flakey. I've read that if you don't smoke regularly it's out of your system in 7 to 10 days, and I'm really skinny so I'd say I have a fast metabolism.

I think I'd be alright, I haven't been tested yet and it's been almost a year. It's just that if I did test positive my whole fucking world would end, as this isn't a job it's a career. And god it sucks. I can't drink for medical reasons, so when I come home at the end of a 14 hour shift I have nothing to take the edge off. It's just straight to bed. And it pisses me off so much that alcohol is legal and this shit isn't. I mean, if I come to work stoned, (which I would never do) then by all means fire me. But my personal life shouldn't be anyone's business. I've also been battling some pretty serious depression lately, as well as a lack of appetite. Some weed would be a big help, but nooooooo, people in government are too retarded to think critically about anything.

FUCKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!

*rant over*

 

Rant understood...

 

Possibly waiting until you have a holiday period might be better given that you would like to maintain your career. That would give you time to clear your system before returning to work.

Can you qualify for a medical reason to use?

 

Random drug testing, or any drug testing for that matter, is bullshit. It is just wrong on so many levels.

 

Damn, I feel you. I work in the automotive field and if I get hurt the first thing workers comp does it drug test you. That never stopped me, but now I own a house and that worries me to a point. FWIW my sister has been an RN for years and never tested. I'm not sure it's worth the risk though. She won't smoke anymore either.

Is that testing hospital by hospital, or does the state board do it? Maybe there is some private hospital you could go to that doesn't really care?

 

unusual crimes occurring in or around the areas you work. missing purses, stolen phones, laptops, drugs, money, ect. weed out the suspects using drug tests. however they really are not searching for some cannabis. nobody is stealing to support a weed habit.. within a good hospital the security measures are already in place to prevent this type of behavior. therefor,e they only have to violate your privacy if you really fuck up.. so smoke up..

 

Think of it this way, would a few hits of weed be worth losing your job over?

 

I think if they drug tested people at my job, the company would lose 80% of its employees.

 

if you get chummy enough with coworkers that have been there a long time, maybe you could ask them if they've ever been drug tested.

A lot of times when companies say they randomly drug test, its more like they drug test when they have reason to suspect....although it really would not be worth the risk.

If you have a high metabolism I think weed can get out of your system as early as 3 days. Do you ever get 3 or more days off in a row or do you have a vacation coming up?

 

In what respect???

 

Move to a state that has medical MJ laws or Colorado or Washington where it's legal now.

 

Yeah, I'm kinda curious about the "why's" of that statement.
Do you know when it's bullshit and why and when it's reasonable and even desired, or are you just sounding off again?

 

Sounding off. Who are we really if we can't live our own lives?
You're listening to clowns, don't let em drag ya down!

 

Just because it's legal doesn't mean employers are obligated to let their employees test positive for herbs.

What the fuck are you talking about? Of course it is unreasonable to search an individuals bodily fluids for a fucking metabolite, that may be present (in fat cells) from 2-4 weeks prior to the test. Employment should be performance based - regardless of lifestyle outside of work. I can't believe I just read that shit, it's like you're another pseudo 'hippie' jumping onto the pressed_rat 'omg conspiracy theory!!' bandwagon. Grow a set of balls.

 

companies that have zero tolerance policy, would make no difference if cannabis is legal or not..

Boeing.. zero tolerance: just to name one in Colorado..

 

Boy, are you way off target.

The collection of urine, saliva, blood or hair has been deemed a violation of the fourth amendment;

"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

In some states there may be even further protections, such as here in Ca. the state constitution provides even further protections beyond those mandated by the supreme court.
Pre-employment screening is rampant and unfortunately very hard to go against for a plethora of reasons.
Screening of current employees is a completely different matter. It can only be done in instances of "reasonable suspicion"; IE, accidents, repeated absences/late, poor work performance. etc.
Outside of that random testing is a very slippery legal slope for most employers and opens them up to possible legal repercussions.

Now in situations involving public safety, IE; drivers, pilots, train conductors, crane operators, medical personal, air traffic controllers, etc. OR in instances involving national security/government work, random testing is practiced and court mandated.

In those instances the courts have upheld that random drug screening was acceptable given the nature of the work involved for the safety measures and to minimize any potential "compromises" in cases of sensitive information handling.
In those cases I support testing and don't have a problem with it. Also bear in mind testing in safety sensitive jobs ALL substances are open to scrutiny, not just illegal ones.

The thing that sucks related to the government job testing is it has far reaching tentacles.
Suppose you work for a printing company (true story) and you by chance get a job printing stuff for the local aerospace firm that is working a federal contract. Because of the federal contract includes any subcontractors, everybody at the print shop was tested, 3 guys were put on leave until the contract was over (at least they didn't get fired) or the shop would lose the contract.

Now on marijuana specifically the testing needs to be revamped as the metabolites do remain for weeks after last ingestion and offer no indication of current state of intoxication or frequency/last usage.

Yes being legal doesn't mean an employer doesn't have to hire you, but he wont have that as a legal reason to deny employment for smoking weed.

BUT if it's medical, then according to HIPPA laws the employer can only be informed of your test results after you agree IN WRITING to allow the results to be disclosed. If you don't agree then it is treated as if you passed and the employer will never know, or you can sue the shit out of the testing labs.

Luckily things are changing and I anticipate it to be legal in Ca. next election as well as maybe a few others and after that the dominoes will fall.

Another interesting side note that is often hidden from view.
The same guy/company who owns the two largest employment drug screening labs also was the biggest proponent of getting workplace drug testing in place and pushed very hard for it at all levels.
It never had anything to do with workplace safety at Starbucks, it had to do with a guy creating a product/service then meticulously creating a market for that service.

So I'll ask again PR, do you actually know the why's and wherefore's about drug testing or are you just spouting off from a position of little knowledge as my friend deviate here has done.

 

thats because of the federal contracts

 

Do you realize you just agreed with him in a round about way? You just had to come in acting pious and knowledgeable to someone you.. agree with.

And as far as your statements about me, do I look like someone that gives a fuck about court rulings in the face of a corporate owned gov't?

Also, you are completely wrong about screening of current employees in practice. Do you really think everyone (employers included) adheres to the law 100%? I have not had one employer that didn't at least somewhat regularly violate federal employment laws.

 

A court in colorado recently ruled that employers in colorado can still fire people for testing positive for it, so even if I lived there it wouldn't make any difference.

I work for a huge hospital system with over 50,000 employees, so I don't hold out any hope of anything changing regarding laws. Plus I don't see North Carolina adding itself to the "medical marijuana" bandwagon anytime soon. No one I know personally has been tested, but I have heard of people in the system who have been. And I threw my back out (unexpectedly, obviously) at work a few months ago and had to get drug tested before I came back...ironically, I ended up in the ER where they gave me a vicodin, and I got tested the next day, so I'm guessing I was positive for opiates, although I declared it to the people testing me and didn't hear back about it.

Part of the reason I'm so frustrated is that I'm actually just finishing up a 6 day stretch of days off, and was planing on having some the first day, but my flakey ass friend fell through on me so I couldn't get any. I've been so fucking depressed lately I'm considering going back on antidepressants, although I don't love that idea. What I'm REALLY needing now is some shrooms, but I have no connections and I'm too lazy/impatient to grow my own.

 

I really feel for you! I haven't smoked in a long time either but for different reasons. I stopped when I got pregnant and after my baby was born smoking just didn't seem right anymore. Now she is older and I really would appreciate a little smoke every now and then when she is in bed but the few times I have tried have been followed by intense anxiety attacks. So I guess my head cannot cope with it anymore. Oh well.