I am not surprised that Grampian Chief Constable Ian Oliver's employees are
concerned about mandatory drug-testing since scientific studies show that
there are many problems associated with it.

I am surprised however that Dr Oliver, is so entrenched in his position,
and seemingly unwilling to read the scientific evidence.

Drug tests are notoriously fallible, and false-positive results are
common. Drug test companies own literature admits that the false
positive rate using proper laboratory practice is around 5%. Add into
that bad sample management and laboratory practice and the rate of false
positives could be as high as 20%.

Also drug tests tell more about a person than just use of illegal drugs.
An employer can find out whether a person is pregnant, or taking
prescribed drugs. Unscrupulous employers may turn people down for
employment because their medical condition may prove expensive in
future benefits.

I have written on the subject of drug tests for the UK Cannabis
Information Website. These pages are accessed by around 500 'surfers' a
week, indicating a high-level of concern by cannabis using employees.

Around 90% of positive tests are for cannabis, because cannabis is the
most widely used illegal drug, and because cannabis residues stay in the
bloodstream for months. Yet according to research published in
Scientific American in 1990 cannabis users are actually better
employees, with a better absenteeism record, than alcohol users!

If employers sack or turn a candidate down because they have used
cannabis in the previous months they may actually damage their companies
performance.

I agree that companies should have a drug and alcohol policy. But it
should involve partnership with the employees to work out their
problems, not spying on their private lives.

Thank goodness that the council and the police board see sense and stand
up to Dr Oliver.

Dr Stuart Young, MD
Edinburgh.