DRUGS IN THE MINES

Even After An Accident, The Law Does Not Allow Testing Of Miners

Blatant mine safety violations were not the only thing investigators found
in Cody Mining No. 1 in Floyd County following an explosion that killed one
miner and seriously injured two others. They also found a bag of marijuana
and the dead miner's urine tested positive for the synthetic narcotic
painkiller hydrocodone.

So how serious was drug use in the mine? Frankly, investigators do not
know. That's because current law does not allow drug testing of the
survivors, even after the most serious accidents.

A bill that would have allowed drug testing of miners could not even get a
sponor in the 2005 General Assembly.

Led by Lt. Gov. Steve Pence, who doubles as secretary of the Justice
Cabinet, the administration of Gov. Ernie Fletcher seems determined to rid
the state's mines of illegal drug use. To his credit, Gov. Fletcher has
resisted pressure from the politically powerful coal industry to
aggressively enforce mine safety regulations and weight limits on coal
trucks. That's a welcome change from previous administrations.

Coal mining is too dangerous to tolerate miners who are too drunk or too
stoned to do their jobs.