CLEAN EMPLOYEES MEAN SAFER JOB FOR ALL

From both sides: Should employers test employees for use of illegal drugs?

Cocaine scrambles a brain in some interesting ways, according to a 1999
John Hopkins University study. It impairs the prefrontal cortex, the part
of the brain responsible for decision-making. Memory lapses are common, and
coordination can get funky. The high from cocaine is brief; the
aftereffects can last as long as a month.

Though marijuana is probably more popular than cocaine, both are illegal
drugs taken by some adults who consider "recreational" use of drugs no
one's business but their own. Some of these people work full-time at
responsible jobs and argue that their weekend drug use does not affect
their ability to do their jobs well.

Throughout the past decade, workplaces have grown much less tolerant of
this viewpoint. More and more are requiring drug tests of new hires and
other employees. A few weeks ago, The Coeur d'Alene City Council and
Kootenai County Commission approved new drug policies. Now, employees will
be drug tested if they hold "safety sensitive" jobs, such as 911
dispatchers, snowplow drivers and workers at jails and juvenile detention
facilities.

New employees must take drug tests, as well as city and government
employees involved in accidents. And all employees can volunteer to be
tested. County Commissioner Dick Compton said: "We think it's important
that Kootenai County takes a leadership role in this." He's right.

Those appalled by mandatory drug testing say it violates a person's rights.
But holding a job has never been a "right." It's a choice, sometimes even a
privilege. Employees trade some privacy for a salary, benefits and, in some
occupations, the opportunity to better themselves and their communities.

Employers are liable for employees' errors. Drug testing deters substance
abuse, leading to fewer accidents and less absenteeism.

Drug testing also raises the standards of a workplace. It sends the message
that a company feels it is worthy of people who engage in healthy
lifestyles. No matter how someone spins it, smoking marijuana or snorting
cocaine on a regular basis, even while off duty, is not a healthy choice.

Those who disagree with the legality and morality of drug testing have an
option. They can find work elsewhere.