DRUG TESTS DON'T PROVE USE IN THE WORKPLACE

The graph accompanying yesterday's story on workplace drug testing
erroneously states, "The use of marijuana in the workplace increased
in the first quarter." In fact, the testing reported in the article
demonstrates no such thing.

Standard urine screening detects minute, nonpsychoactive traces of THC
or its chemical byproducts for days and sometimes weeks after any
effects have worn off. This effect is unique to marijuana because of
the fat-soluble nature of THC. So these tests are almost certainly not
detecting use in the workplace, but rather what employees do in their
off hours.

This raises an important issue: Marijuana is well documented to be
less toxic, less addictive and much less likely to cause violence,
aggression or injury than alcohol. So why exactly should an employer
care if a worker chooses to relax in the evening with a joint rather
than a martini, so long as use of either doesn't affect his or her job
performance?

Bruce Mirken Director of Communications Marijuana Policy Project

Washington, D.C.