Help passing a drug test...

[Guest baseball]

just get a whizzinator

the creators of that are going to jail I think.

Yeah, I was going to post that, although I'm not sure if they are actually going to jail. They got charged on something really bogus, can't remember what it was. Pretty sure they pleaded down.

[jochert]

Drug Test when applyling for a job? For real?

Over here we smoke bongs at job interviews...

Yup, we lack many freedoms in the US. The majority of businesses in the private sector do pre-employment drug tests nowadays. The US government was sued and lost on the grounds that drug testing is unconstitutional a while back for trying to drug test its employees. You can still get many government jobs without being subjected to drug tests, unless you're trying to get some kind of security clearance. Companies in the private sector have much more leeway in their hiring practices.

Here's how it works. The drug czar and a handful of politicians are connected to private interests in the drug testing industry. They use connections with the insurance companies to offer better rates to companies who conduct employment drug tests, which in turn makes the businesses happy, which makes the insurance companies happy, which leads to more money for the drug testing industry, which leads to more money for the politicians in things like campaign contributions.

The problem, of course, is that drug testing doesn't work.

1) Studies often reveal that false positives (saying you failed when you didn't) occur often, ruining many people's lives in the process.

2) Drug testing is often counterproductive, particuarly for kids. I've read some literature on this and what commonly happens is kids gravitate towards more dangerous drugs that stay in your system less time in order to pass tests. So instead of using a benign drug like marijuana that stays in their system up to a month, they switch to amphetamines, alcohol, cocaine, or prescription drugs which only stay in your system a few days.

3) There's no link that drug testing increases productivity in any way. Particuarly because drug tests don't distinguish between use and abuse. A good manager identifies a useful employee far better than a drug test.

And you know, there's the fact that no one aside from a doctor has any fucking business examining your bodily fluids. It's amazing to me that people accept such a gross violation of privacy, especially when it's just a money making scheme.

Whoa, ok.

Not only over there do you lack freedoms. Many see my country as very liberal and free (thinking), but our current government is slowly taking steps to break down some of the freedoms we have here.

Since July there's no smoking allowed in bars and restaurants. They just outlawed the selling of magic mushrooms.

There's plans to reduce the red-light district in Amsterdam to a couple of small streets. There's also a lot of talk about our soft-drug policy and many (conservative/christian) politicians want to ban it....

Fuck em!

[vinylme]

drink a quart of bleach the day before.

[vinylme]

dont really just kidding

[Guest baseball]

Yup, we lack many freedoms in the US. The majority of businesses in the private sector do pre-employment drug tests nowadays. The US government was sued and lost on the grounds that drug testing is unconstitutional a while back for trying to drug test its employees. You can still get many government jobs without being subjected to drug tests, unless you're trying to get some kind of security clearance. Companies in the private sector have much more leeway in their hiring practices.

Here's how it works. The drug czar and a handful of politicians are connected to private interests in the drug testing industry. They use connections with the insurance companies to offer better rates to companies who conduct employment drug tests, which in turn makes the businesses happy, which makes the insurance companies happy, which leads to more money for the drug testing industry, which leads to more money for the politicians in things like campaign contributions.

The problem, of course, is that drug testing doesn't work.

1) Studies often reveal that false positives (saying you failed when you didn't) occur often, ruining many people's lives in the process.

2) Drug testing is often counterproductive, particuarly for kids. I've read some literature on this and what commonly happens is kids gravitate towards more dangerous drugs that stay in your system less time in order to pass tests. So instead of using a benign drug like marijuana that stays in their system up to a month, they switch to amphetamines, alcohol, cocaine, or prescription drugs which only stay in your system a few days.

3) There's no link that drug testing increases productivity in any way. Particuarly because drug tests don't distinguish between use and abuse. A good manager identifies a useful employee far better than a drug test.

And you know, there's the fact that no one aside from a doctor has any fucking business examining your bodily fluids. It's amazing to me that people accept such a gross violation of privacy, especially when it's just a money making scheme.

Whoa, ok.

Not only over there do you lack freedoms. Many see my country as very liberal and free (thinking), but our current government is slowly taking steps to break down some of the freedoms we have here.

Since July there's no smoking allowed in bars and restaurants. They just outlawed the selling of magic mushrooms.

There's plans to reduce the red-light district in Amsterdam to a couple of small streets. There's also a lot of talk about our soft-drug policy and many (conservative/christian) politicians want to ban it....

Fuck em!

Yeah, I've been following that. There's a lot of money to be made by the government in hardline drug policies. It's pretty messed up the Netherlands is heading moreso in that direction because your country has far less problems with drugs than the US or other countries with hardline policies. Unlike ours, some of your policies actually work. For example, far fewer kids use marijuana over there than they do here.

I wouldn't worry about cannabis though. From what I've read, it doesn't seem likely anyone is going to ban it, there's a lot of people interested in regulating it better, which is a good idea.

http://www.alternet.org/drugreporter/112397/not_to_worry_--_concerns_about_pot_coffee_houses_in_amsterdam_have_gone_up_in_smoke/?page=entire

I'm actually going to the Netherlands in May for my honeymoon. I really like museums and there's a lot in Amsterdam. My fiancee also studies cross cultural sexuality and you guys are way ahead of the curve when it comes to sexuality related issues and policies. So we're hoping to learn a lot over there. I've been told to also spend some time in Brugge(sp?).

[sonix]

this reminds me of that episode of Seinfeld where Elaine keeps failing the drug test because shes been eating poppy seeds. I think I am going to go watch that episode.

[oakland]

Leading up to the test drink lots of water and cranberry juice, at least 8 glasses total per day. 6 water 2 cranberry. One thing to remember: Goldenseal is endangered. It has been over-harvested for use as a cleanser. You really don't need it either. Do the water and cranberry and you'll be fine.

[sgoodcore]

Yeah, I've been following that. There's a lot of money to be made by the government in hardline drug policies. It's pretty messed up the Netherlands is heading moreso in that direction because your country has far less problems with drugs than the US or other countries with hardline policies. Unlike ours, some of your policies actually work. For example, far fewer kids use marijuana over there than they do here.

I'd argue hardline drug policies cost much more than they make and/or save. The government should legalize and distribute drugs, tax them like crazy, and chill the fuck out a bit. At least we, as a country, would reduce Hep C infections because of dirty needles and it would help the budget deficit. We might even be able to lower taxes. Win-win, too bad we're too puritanical at this point to try it.

[mattstrike]

Consider another place of employment.

[malestudent15]

this reminds me of that episode of Seinfeld where Elaine keeps failing the drug test because shes been eating poppy seeds. I think I am going to go watch that episode.

I watched this episode yesterday.

And don't do drugs.

[kurtmanner]

Don't do drugs is a correct answer, however, it's not very helpful in this case. I've had a couple of friends pass drug tests by using a pill/drink that supposedly blocks the test from detecting THC in urine between 1-6 hours. I'm not sure of the exact science behind it, but I have seen it work multiple times. Lots of fluids is also a big help, I've heard electrolyte heavy drinks help even more.

[motorbike]

i once smoked on a saturday. sunday i got a call from a friend who said i had a job if i wanted but i had to come in the next day and take a drug test. come monday, i had probably two gallons of water and took some pills from gnc that were temp cleaners. i went to take the test and seriously thought i was damaging my penis and bladder because i was in so much pain from holding said water. i passed with flying colors and am a chronic smoker.

[kellyjanice]

seriously I think that if you are trying to get a job that requires a drug test and you do drugs you are trying to get the wrong job. these jobs also are the ones that will do randon tests to 1 or 2 people a year and you will have no chance to think about how to fix it then.

don't do drugs and everyone wins

[mcm1610]

The drug dealers don't win.

[lokithelion]

seriously I think that if you are trying to get a job that requires a drug test and you do drugs you are trying to get the wrong job. these jobs also are the ones that will do randon tests to 1 or 2 people a year and you will have no chance to think about how to fix it then.

don't do drugs and everyone wins

Most jobs that "randomly test" never do unless you fuck up on the clock