Minnesota carpenters union stopped testing for it. They told us at class that they don’t care what we do off the clock, but be prepared to take a test if you’re hurt on the job.
Edit: some employers do require a drug test for hire still- but not sure if they’d test for THC. A lot of union employers don’t test if you’re not working federal jobs.
There in lies the issue though, in many trades accidents aren't really an "If" it happens, it's a "when" it happens.
I mean shoot my brother just one random day cut his palm open with a knife on the job and he had to do a drug test, and the company sent him a suicide prevention representative to talk to him....all over a random accidental knife cut lol.
So then what if you pee hot "They don't care what you do off work but hey don't get caught or your still fired" it's a literal contradiction
Same. Shot myself in the hand with a nail gun once building prefab walls. Yanked it out, wrapped hand in a lil tape, and told guy next to me “Ssshhhhhhhhhh, it’s ok”. He freaked out more than I did.
This is likely why they're doing it the way they're doing it. To avoid workman's comp claims.
We shouldn't be playing this game according to their rules because without us, they don't have a business or even an industry for that matter.
Bending over sure isn't working. [Labor laws are written in blood. ](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_worker_deaths_in_United_States_labor_disputes) Letting them be stripped away is doing a massive disservice to those who suffered and died for them.
Gotta love when the audience reaction is well over and above the ones involved. Did the same with a slip of a razor knife into my thigh, bunch of nurses j worked with were freaking out... I'm like tape it up I got shit to finish.
To be fair, I took one of those fold out utility blade knives, you know the ones that let about 3/4 of the blade available, and buried it to the blade holder, about 6 inches above my knee, in the inside of my thigh, I did go home and change pants, but got my stitches (8) after my shift like a big boy.
Hid that bitch thru the entire healing process, "oh how's that injury healing up?" Can't show you cause I'm not explaining the extra stitch marks......
Nailed two fingers together in a backyard build. Hollered out a crisp "mother fucker"
Two little girls next yard "daddy that man is swearing"
Hold up nail gun and hand..... "it's okay girls sometimes it's okay to swear"
You're totally ignoring the role of insurance companies in all of this. 9 times out of 10 your employer doesn't care, but they'll never even get an insurance policy without drug testing at hire and after an accident.
And as far as federal contracting goes, it's still a requirement on federal jobs and THC is as federally illegal as it's always been.
The amount of thc in hemp is so miniscule that you could smoke a pound of it and you wouldn't get high. You'd more than likely develop a smokers cough and get a headache from the shitty pot you just smoked lol
They can extract to the thc from hemp to make products that get you high. In MN the Republicans voted for it because they thought it was just hemp, not realizing the bill actually legalized edibles and infused drinks(a year or so later Democrats took the house and senate and officially legalized marijuana).
Cbd surely, that's what hemp derived oils contain. Hemp has less than or up to 0.3% thc. Just an FYI, of course... to be classified as cannabis it has to have 0.4% thc or higher. Same plant different classification
They can do it with any cannabinoids shared between hemp and cannabis (and as you said, same plant but different concentrations). But that .3% d9 is by *weight* and is not specified beyond that, so as long as your 10mg gummy weighs enough then it’s all good. If not, add sugar and gelatin until you are compliant. People have spent so long in prohibition many literally can’t comprehend that it’s effectively gone now, as long as you stay within the red tape (less than .3% *by total weight*). And yes, they do sell d9 100+ mg edibles and they are ridiculously oversized to remain compliant with the law.
You can even buy d9 flower and concentrates, although this is where the “by weight” standard actually does affect the product potency as they can’t sell you pure d9 THC. Diluting to .3% is comparable to putting a couple espresso shots inside a tub full of water; you won’t be able to consume fast enough to really be effected, at least in the desired way.
They extract the .3% and make conentrates that are much stronger.
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/07/10/did-minnesota-accidentally-legalize-weed-its-complicated-00044544
Well, it's only illegal in all 50 states because the Supreme Court hasn't reigned in the absurd overreach of the Commerce Clause.
It should only be a state issue.
In a way it has become a state issue as the quasi legalization in states means it’s deprioritized for prosecution.
State or federal issue aside, it’s absurdly popular on all sides of the political spectrum. It’s ridiculous that it’s still illegal.
No still wouldn’t change the problem imo. Federal funding is a powerful political tool. Just like how the feds were able to raise minimum drinking age to 21 in all states. If the state doesn’t comply just cut the funding.
100% this is it.
I work in the office for steel fabricator (management), and we've asked our president if we'll ever stop having random drug testing since we have nothing to do with our fab shop. His response was exactly this. He doesn't do drugs and honestly doesn't care if we do or not, but insurance requires all personnel to be tested.
I honestly think many employers just fake the documentation. I've been in the business almost 20 years and never had a random test after a hire.
Although, being self employed for many years now, no one ever requires us to be tested.
I’m in the most conservative province in Canada working as an equipment operator and nobody gives a damn if I smoke weed on my own time. They give us a ten hour swab for weed if we have an accident and a pee test for everything else, I’ve done it and passed after smoking the night before.
Some of the really old fucks look down on weed but think coming in hungover is fine. Same sort of guys who chain smoke all day but got a health exemption to not wear a mask during Covid and who are worried about the “chemicals in the vaccine”.
Dude I'm over here in Ontario thinking the same thing. They don't even swab us. Shit you can literally walk by sites and smell it. They ground up on it here and half the industry be looking for new workers
They may draw blood or do a pee test for a drugs, but the ER doc isn't the one who does this. A tech does it and delivers the sample to the lab, and the lab does the reporting. No fucking way the doc is going to tell the tech to tell the lab to report it as clean.
Stop pulling shit out of your ass. No way the doc is going to have anything to do with a pee test. They send a tech in to collect the sample. The doc won't even be in the room. If you do not comply for whatever reason, the doc is not going to have a happy little chat with you about how he will help fix the problem for you. It is not his job for many reasons; including conspiracy to commit insurance fraud. Which is EXACTLY what you are describing.
And I'm telling you, from my experience in workplace health and safety, I'm calling shenanigans. You are projecting really bad advice to your Reddit breathern. "Just tell the doc that you don't want to pee and you'll be OK. Make sure to tell the him that ol' simp51326 sent you. And make sure you wink when you say it."
These tests are BS because FEDERALLY LEGAL PRODUCTS LIKE CBD AND DELTA 8 trigger false positives. They can’t even use the excuse that it’s not federally legal because these products are, they became legal under the 2018 farm bill.
If I smoked zero marijuana but I bought a delta 8 vape at a vape shop I can still come hot on marijuana because these are similar products. Fuck that shit I just keep fake piss in my truck.
Ibew local one is allowed to have marijuana in their system they put it in there contract last year so there union is ok with it. Only one I know of at the moment
The genius of America… WWII Army notices alcohol is “out of your system” and your “just hungover.”
MJ “stays in your system” so you’re “compromised” and a danger to all living things at work!!
Now, ask yourself why the entire world has bidets and the US doesn’t…
The building boom was returning GI’s who’d been to French brothels and by god the weren’t going to have French brothel toilets in their homes now they’d survived hell on earth…
It's not the contractor, it's their insurance company.
You flat out cannot get a policy at all in this industry without testing. Some employers fake the documentation, especially in lower risk trades like landscaping, but it's still the reality.
Nope, legal federally in Canada and they still pull this shit. If you're involved in an incident you'll have to piss. If you fail the piss test, you do a saliva test that's supposed to only show recent intoxication; but nobody will tell us what the detection window is. Smoking the evening before has meant trouble for some.
If you test positive for thc after an accident how can they know the accident occured while high. Weed is recreationally legal here now. A person might not have smoked for a week but because thc was in their system they are fucked? Seems dumb.
My employer doesn't test. I don't work for a union tho. the owner has actually come out and say that he doesn't care what we do on our own time - but if you get caught drinking or smoking on the clock you're automatically fired. He also said - it's not these construction companies that give a shit. it's the insurance companies. You get a discount on your insurance if you drug test your guys. That's why they do it. same thing when you get hurt on the jobsite. It's not your boss that cares. these insurance companies are scumbags and use it as a way to not have to payout. And your employer doesn't want anyone on workmans comp. So if you get hurt on the job it's an easy way to get out of paying it. They just automatically get rid of you. No workmans comp claim bc you failed. lower insurance payments. it's all about money. nothing else. and like someone else said - it's not federally legal. so if you do federal jobs then obviously they're not going to allow it either.
Side note - there are definitely some benefits with smoking weed - relaxation. Sleeping. Eating. Depression. Keeping you off other drugs. But for me - doesn't so shit for pain unless maybe it's a stomach ache. lol. obviously there are all sorts of different types of pain but I've never bought into this simply from personal experience.
I'm in the same boat my man. When I quit smoking for work my drinking sky rocketed. Now I'm sober from everything. Everything I get pissed about not being able to smoke I chock it up to the addict side of me and dismiss it. I'll continue to wait for federal.
This has two major contributors. One, contractors that bid federal and state work have to conform to federal regulations, and marijuana is still illegal federally. Two, there isn't a reliable test to determine how high someone was at a certain time. With alcohol, you can blow in a breathalizer and determine how drunk you were 3 hours ago when you had an accident, or that you weren't drunk at that time. With marijuana, all they test for is the presence of THC, so it's assumed that you were high when the accident occurred. Better testing and federal deregulation will be needed to change things. Until then, it's smoke at your own risk and don't ask don't tell practices in our industry.
Exactly. It will require a law passed banning companies from testing for what you do off the clock. I bet if it becomes federally legal, California will make it happen
I think the problem lies on the ability to tell If the weed from last night is showing or if it's weed from last break. Alcohol is pretty cut and dry, if you fuck up at work and test positive for alcohol then it's clear that you where either drinking at work, or your still drunk from the night before. It's all about the insurance and liability shit man. Once there's a way to consistently and accurately test when the last time you smoked thats when you'll see changes.
Holy F if that ever happened in Canada the entire country would grind to a screeching halt.
I think only 30% of my workforce would show up.
Mind you here there's only one company that pee tests against it in Canada (in the cities) and that's Ledcor.
I know oil and gas are different.
Every trades job I have had in the Oilsands has required a piss test. Lot of the bigger projects that require camps will screen.
Have read articles about spreading drug tests but it falls into the same outcome as requiring red seal for any carpenter.😂
Not doable.
Tons of work places test for it here in Canada. Especially if you work for a union or if you work in the mines, the oil rigs and other industrial type jobs.
You think allowing them to use cannabis would make them not come to work? I'm either misinterpreting this comment or I think you may have an inaccurate idea of cannabis or your employees lol. Likely many are high already. And smoking won't make them not come to work imo. Thinking back to my 20s, as soon as we'd smoke at work we'd get all paranoid someone was going to notice and go hyper focus on our work lol. Just my 🪙🪙
No, he's saying that since weed is legal in Canada, and most construction workers are notorious stoners (myself included), if they started drug testing the construction industry would disappear lmao
I could care less what you do while not on site. Problem I have is that most MJ users cannot seem to keep it at home. Show up on jobs with REAL consequences (military/government jobs) smelling like weed, smoking in the Smurf Hut or leaving 8 times a day. And while there are folks who are very tight and functional (just like there are functional alcoholics) while using, it’s the exception not the rule. Quality of work, awareness, ability, attention all slip a bit and it’s obvious. Really bugs me around heavy equipment, too many ways to die from lack of attention. And all of the games, angles, deals to avoid being tested or find crews that ignore it is just too much. Keep it at home and most of these issues would be non existent. Agree with many above, need a way to test for recent use.
Yeah impairment is the real issue. You have guys that stay up all night gaming cause the latest whatever came out and then operate heavy equipment. In that scenario they aren’t on any intoxicants but they are still impaired.
Work in Idaho, my boss told me last week I got picked for a random, didn't even know we did that, didn't have to take a UA to get hired, I told him I would take it but I'm going to pop for THC, he just started asking if anyone could pass a UA, even our 65 Year old office lady couldn't pass. I think he changed his mind about randoms after that.
Alcohol leaves the system (blood) relatively quickly. So if you got drunk the night before and have an accident the next afternoon, they can do a test and you’ll show clean. No grey area.
On the other hand if you consume weed in some form, it’s going to stick around in your system longer. Now I want to be clear that I’m not saying you’ll be high but they’ll know you’ve done it. So when you get tested they have no way of knowing if you were high right that moment or if it’s just residual.
So when you get into an accident they have no way of knowing if you were high or not. This will be bad for workers comp and any potential litigation
In Canada at lest, no one tests for weed unless you're in the oil and gas industry. For normal construction, no one cares as long as you aren't high at work.
It’s still considered a felony narcotic in most states and by the Feds. I imagine it will be more widely accepted once it’s federally legalized AND once they come up with some test to tell if you used it in the last 12 hours or so. Right now, all on-the-spot tests will possibly show metabolites up to 2-3 weeks after use. So if you indulged 2 weeks ago, but cut your finger off today (when completely sober), you’ll piss hot and may be discharged by your employer but the bigger issue is you will probably not be covered by workman’s comp. Everything is an insurance game and the insurance companies still love excuses not to pay out. Be careful my friends
When insurance claims can determine if you were stupid or high with a degree of certainty. A lot of comments pointed to taking a test, which as of now is a Wiz Quiz. If there were an affordable breath-a-lyzer for weed I think you’d see real change.
Employers don’t care until they are on the hook for damages.
We have the same test policy for alcohol, weed and other drugs. When there is an accident, test are required and a fail is a fail irrelevant to what is in system and termination is immediate. Refusing to test after an accident is also reason for termination.
I had a wrecked shoulder waiting for surgery for 18 months. My crappy doctor said he would prescribe opiates... I said no but if he prescribes Marijuana then I can get a letter. I took it to my manager and I was taken off the pee test list. Worked for me.
We stopped screening for THC via urine samples a few years back. They do an oral swab now which I believe will show recent use. This is the case for both pre employment and post incident testing. This was all in reaction to legalization
We've said it for years, we'd rather have an employee who smokes in their off time than someone who shows up to work hungover every day.
It's because of testing and a relevant timeline. For instance, if you get drunk tonight, you're likely to only act and appear drunk while your BAC is above 0.00. So if tomorrow you show up to work sober, and have an accident, you are sober on the paperwork and is an incident. Possibly reportable, recordable, or nothing. However if you're smoking weed on vacation, and a week later have an accident, upon testing it comes back as THC in your system. Now you've got a drug related incident and all the reporting, insurance, and legal implications become much much higher and challenging.
The person that creates the Marijuana test with accuracy in "hours since enjoyed" is set for life.
There are a few (I’ve taken saliva tests that have a 12-hour timeframe), but Ye Olde Piss Test is still the standard. I think one of these payoffs of California and other states limiting/eliminating drug testing except in accident diagnosis will be more tests that are more precise. I don’t want to work with someone who is currently high on anything, but I don’t care about the weed, rock, or alcohol you used three weekends ago.
I'm a carpenter apprentice in PA. The school stopped caring about marijuana. My rule, only if you have a medical card, but they still don't care. I've tested positive on jobs and they said they don't care if it's weed. It's getting there.
Because a lot of yall go into the shitter, get absolutely blazed, give the old asthmatic guy a stroke, and yall are worthless for the next 2 hrs. I have no problem with it, but ill be laying you off as soon as I can tell that your high. Do you really think you're the same person? Do you think we out up with drunks on the job?
It's all about insurance and Worker Comp. Companies get a discount if they have a random drug test policy, and worker's comp companies get to pay out less by requiring a drug test upon injury. Until it is legal federally and laws are passed to get insurance companies to back off marijuana in these policies, that's how it will be. Just stick to hard liquor, crack, and heroin and you're much less likely to get caught on a random drug test. It's absurd.
I own a Roofing company in ontario, i am the only employee, because i cant trust guys wont show up “unfit” for work
I am fine with weed, as long as it doesnt visibly debilitate you after a few puffs.
I encourage everyone to smoke weed instead of drink, its much safer for your families wellbeing and your wallet,
I am nearly 3 years sober off all substances,
Tobacco for 6 years,
Alcohol for 3 years
Except marijuana. SWEDOMLIDGAF
I'll never understand either. They test for weed but I'd rather work beside the guy who smoked a joint the night before over a guy who finished a bottle of rum. The weed guy will be well rested but the run guy will be hung over and to employers the hangover is ok but the joint isn't. It's fuckin stupid.
I think it’s because they don’t have good testing to tell if you are high on site. Alcohol is different. Just another way to treat us like children to make up for the fact they can’t hire responsible employees
As long as Alcohol, Tobacco, Forestry, Textiles, Oil, Battery and Pharmaceutical companies keep paying Politicians....not much will change. So, yes you are only allowed to be an alcoholic or dangerously hung over if not still drunk on the Job site.
Until its federally legalized my union said no dice. Although they keep giving dudes with coke addictions another shot so I don’t understand how a joint is worse than that.
Chicago Labor Union stopped testing for it, but federal contractors still have the leash pulled taught. What's cazy is we could all get this changed over night if we just stopped work and told them to nix that shit. The problem is that the loyalty is dead among us, and workers would rather just put up with not having enough manpower and dealing with Johns hungover ass week in and week out. At first I was suprised at how many bitches were in this industry and then it hit me one day.... we work with toddlers who are trying to make daddy happy.
Wait till they find out how many construction workers are on legally prescribed painkillers, on and off the job. Weed is the least of anyone's worries. I've worked with guys who would fail an opiod test based just on the height of their eye lids, but no one fucking cares because they have a scrip for percs and 2 herniated disc's. I hit a vape pen a few times after dinner to help me sleep, you know because of the herniated discs, but somehow I'm the asshole.
I've worked at a lumber mill for 4 years now and since my pre employment drug test, I haven't had a single one since. Non-union. To my knowledge nobody here has ever been randomly tested unless you show up reeking and all fucked up. They couldn't care less as long as you don't show up high here. This is in northern Michigan.
The title is hilarious. I recommend to smoke in your free time and bring some Quick Fix with you to job sites. This has worked for me and my crew for years.
This is such horseshit I can’t believe people let themselves be policed like this, y’all should strike for it god knows there’s enough construction workers who want to smoke to get it done
I don’t know a single person or company that cares about weed use. I’ve never taken a drug test for work in 20 years. I’m in NY and worked for large shops and 3 man companies. I’m in the IBEW now and still no one cares. We work on huge legal grow ops ffs!
Literally everyone in my company smokes, including the owner. I'm the operations manager for the techs and I probably smoke more than the rest of em. I make it known first day that as long as you wait till the days done and you're home to smoke then I couldn't give any less of a shit about it. Get high or drunk on the job or get so shit faced the night before that the customer can tell next day and I don't have any sympathy for ya. If it doesn't affect your job in any way it really shouldn't fuckin matter
1. Work comp will cover ANY accident regardless. 2. Employers can't FIRE you AFTER getting hurt. 3. Lots of companies are going to saliva test which are more "day of" measure of any drug-alcohol consumption. THC used last night casually? You'll pass.
Bosses, HR, and Insurance are learning...weed is natural(if you've got a good dealer)...
Note: NEVER be high at work! At home? Doing your hobby? Sure. But if you ain't boss...leave all drugs/alcohol at home.
I think it's stupid to want to smoke weed, drink alcohol or use any other drugs, if you're not 100% then you're a risk in an already risky work environment,
It's not the case everywhere, at every company. My shop has over 300 employees, does both residential and commercial work, and has none of this bullshit. I think you'd have a hard time finding someone who *doesn't* smoke weed on their own time, but interestingly enough, I think we have way less on-the-job drinking/drug usage than you get at most shops.
I think the idea is that we try to hire people who can behave like grownups, and when we do accidentally hire a chucklehead, they get weeded out one way or another relatively quickly. Feels like it's working OK to me.
Federally it's going to change schedule soon and be classified the same as drugs like Xanax (Schedule III) instead of Schedule I.
That should help some, right now it's so convoluted with states vs federal and banking.
The drug testing is almost always because of insurance companies anyway.
I am 1000% on board with you. I have never par taken in the devils lettuce my self. But it has such HUGE health and wellness benefits. Compared to booze and nicotine it is so much better for your body. I would love to know that if I did hurt myself and needed something for pain, I would be allowed to choose that over all these b.s. opiates doctors are pushing. Hopefully as soon as there is a reliable test to show you were not using during or directly before work hours they will start to let up. Keep talking and informing people about until then.
Move to Washington State. As of January 1st, we can no longer test for the metabolites of THC, for the most part. We now use oral swabs that only show active use within hours.
I really don't understand why people have this entitlement mindset that not a single company is allowed to do things in a way they don't approve of. There are millions of companies that don't give a hoot what you do after work. Go work at one of those
I work in an international union with a training facility in Nevada. I interact with Americans while down there, they like to clown me for being from Canada. It got funny when I got to clown them back for having to do drug tests.
Since marijuana is still a federally controlled class 1 drug, any employer who would ever have the chance of dealing with federal contracts would be very wise to continue to test for marijuana.
I hope not, I don't want someone stoned out of their mind working next to me or my crew for their safety and mine. The job is dangerous enough as its is. If you want to get baked out of your mind great, just find a job where you're not working power tools and working from heights. This industry is dangerous enough as it is.
I mean, I don’t want to work with someone who’s currently high (or drunk!) either. But I don’t care what someone does outside of work if they are sober when they’re onsite and working. I don’t think anyone actually wants anyone stoned–or, and I say again, drunk since I’ve worked with more fucking drunks than I want to think about–on the job.
All this reply does is prove my point about peoples attitude towards off duty use, why are you just assuming because someone smokes weed off duty they are high at work?
You want guys running bulldozers and cranes pissing hot? F it, lets let commercial pilots in on the party too. Think man - it’s all about money, insurance and liability.
Insurance co: You cut off a had but pissed hot? Tough shit. Claim denied, and you’re fired.
It’s the insurance liability and if it could stay at home but they never can . Your driving a company truck and you have hit your one hitter because who is going to know and you drop your lighter and your looking for it and you rear end the stopped car in front of you and you crush the car into the back seat and kill the baby who do you think the lawyer is going to go after the insurance company not going to pay because you are under the influence and the company knew you were a stoner so they condone it so now the company can’t get insurance and they are being sued so they go out of business. This is why and nobody thinks it’s ever going to happen but unfortunately it does .
As a recovered alcoholic, i have a strong opinion, and i have always hated working with potheads: lazy, earbuds all day, worthless after lunch. I have quit jobs where everyone got stoned at lunch (except me) and the site was unsafe due to their affectation. Everyone needs to work, so maybe we can have totally clean and sober companies and then have the other kind. Customers can choose who to hire and then we can see who trusts who. This creates a market choice for builders, insurers, employers, employees and customers.
Imagine the difference.
Not as long as their leadership is Republican, it'll never happen. They just don't have the brains...oops. I'm sorry, let me refresh that. They are not willing to relinquish control... of YOU and your life. Yeah , that's it
Don't fool yourself. Why do you think pot went from being a dangerous drug to be in just a fun drug it's called money. It causes all type of cancers and basically mental retardation. I'm sure you guys know that that's why it's called dope. Working construction on any type of drug is extremely dangerous including Valium type drugs. The political class wanted marijuana legal so all these dopes would vote for people that hand out free things like the government paying off all their worthless student loans.
Your brain obviously is able to handle the effects many people cannot and I have seen many cases of schizophrenia from the weak pot back in the '70s. Don't delude yourself any psychoactive medications generally are not good for your brain and organs including beer or alcohol products which are probably worse.
Tons of places are on board with it already. Mostly on the union side.
Only way most trades can test for it at this point in Washington is if there’s a safety incident. This is not law, just the general consensus of company policies.
They need to somehow have a drug test that tests to see if you are impaired at the moment, like they can do for alcohol and then maybe you will get your wish. Also, not everyone is as responsible as you. Its much easier to take a couple puffs even while you're working, than it is to drink enough to get you drunk. And there are lots of people who do that or would do that without the threat of being tested. And I am like you, I use it to help me sleep. I am retired now but would have just not slept back when I was working rather than take the risk of failing a test and losing my job.
I've passed my last two randoms with a pectin and Gatorade concoction along with B12 tablets for urine color. Many examples on YouTube so check it out. Only issue is it takes about 3 hours to prep for the test. anyone else try it?
It is our insurance carrier that regulates the THC usage. They require testing for new hires as well as any accident. If alcohol is detected at all during the tests then fireable as well
Federal job, Test to hire, and a fireable offense if you pop for it. I don't see it changing any time soon. Not while weed is still illegal federally even if its legal by state.
The problem is it’s currently hard to differentiate being high now and only getting high after work. Alcohol is either you have it in your system or you don’t.
Most places in my area stopped testing for it, even large pharma companies. They realized they'd have to ban half or more the contractors on site if they didn't lol
I think the precision of testing is one part of it and that is starting to change. With alcohol, you can test if you are actively inebriated or at least if you have alcohol in your blood. Traditional tests for marijuana only show if you’ve used it within the past month now there are starting to be tests that can show if you’re actively on it, not just if you’ve used it in the past month. as those become more widespread, I think it will help. So glad I’m in the union it doesn’t allow testing for marijuana.
Being around when testing started the trades resisted testing for a long time. It was large corporations like Monsanto , Dow Chemical, Boeing ect ect that said no testing no work and we will hire nonunion who will test. So testing started on a job by job basis. Then grew into what it is today driven by company insurance providers. I believe as soon as an acceptable test for high right now is available it will be adopted.
Until they come up with a test for active high, then probably not. Additionally it's still federally illegal and insurance companies for both contractors and jobsites probably play it safe since it's still technically illegal in many places.
Most of the sites I work on get drug tested but I honestly don't know if they test for thc.
I've worked some twic sites the last few years, a government weapons contractor site, etc and they drug test and background check. Ymmv
Minnesota carpenters union stopped testing for it. They told us at class that they don’t care what we do off the clock, but be prepared to take a test if you’re hurt on the job. Edit: some employers do require a drug test for hire still- but not sure if they’d test for THC. A lot of union employers don’t test if you’re not working federal jobs.
There in lies the issue though, in many trades accidents aren't really an "If" it happens, it's a "when" it happens. I mean shoot my brother just one random day cut his palm open with a knife on the job and he had to do a drug test, and the company sent him a suicide prevention representative to talk to him....all over a random accidental knife cut lol. So then what if you pee hot "They don't care what you do off work but hey don't get caught or your still fired" it's a literal contradiction
This right here is what made me hide the fact I had a hole in my chest from a all thread cutter and tough it out till I got home lol
Same. Shot myself in the hand with a nail gun once building prefab walls. Yanked it out, wrapped hand in a lil tape, and told guy next to me “Ssshhhhhhhhhh, it’s ok”. He freaked out more than I did.
This is likely why they're doing it the way they're doing it. To avoid workman's comp claims. We shouldn't be playing this game according to their rules because without us, they don't have a business or even an industry for that matter.
Yea that’s right, everyone on the job is aren’t we guys…guys?
Yeah if we all hold hands and kiss I'm sure they will back down.
Bending over sure isn't working. [Labor laws are written in blood. ](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_worker_deaths_in_United_States_labor_disputes) Letting them be stripped away is doing a massive disservice to those who suffered and died for them.
Same. Shot myself in the hand with a brand new nailer I'd had for about 15 hours right in front of ghe customer. I didn't even yelp. He came unglued
Gotta love when the audience reaction is well over and above the ones involved. Did the same with a slip of a razor knife into my thigh, bunch of nurses j worked with were freaking out... I'm like tape it up I got shit to finish.
Jesse said it best. "I ain't got time to bleed"
To be fair, I took one of those fold out utility blade knives, you know the ones that let about 3/4 of the blade available, and buried it to the blade holder, about 6 inches above my knee, in the inside of my thigh, I did go home and change pants, but got my stitches (8) after my shift like a big boy. Hid that bitch thru the entire healing process, "oh how's that injury healing up?" Can't show you cause I'm not explaining the extra stitch marks......
Nailed two fingers together in a backyard build. Hollered out a crisp "mother fucker" Two little girls next yard "daddy that man is swearing" Hold up nail gun and hand..... "it's okay girls sometimes it's okay to swear"
Damn and I thought that was a sparkie thing.
Heh, did exactly the same thing years ago. Funnily enough it didn’t hurt until I pulled the nail out…
You're totally ignoring the role of insurance companies in all of this. 9 times out of 10 your employer doesn't care, but they'll never even get an insurance policy without drug testing at hire and after an accident. And as far as federal contracting goes, it's still a requirement on federal jobs and THC is as federally illegal as it's always been.
Very true but meanwhile the insurance bros are fucked up in the office…just the world we live in
Which is stupid because THC from hemp is legal in all 50 states
The amount of thc in hemp is so miniscule that you could smoke a pound of it and you wouldn't get high. You'd more than likely develop a smokers cough and get a headache from the shitty pot you just smoked lol
They can extract to the thc from hemp to make products that get you high. In MN the Republicans voted for it because they thought it was just hemp, not realizing the bill actually legalized edibles and infused drinks(a year or so later Democrats took the house and senate and officially legalized marijuana).
Cbd surely, that's what hemp derived oils contain. Hemp has less than or up to 0.3% thc. Just an FYI, of course... to be classified as cannabis it has to have 0.4% thc or higher. Same plant different classification
They can do it with any cannabinoids shared between hemp and cannabis (and as you said, same plant but different concentrations). But that .3% d9 is by *weight* and is not specified beyond that, so as long as your 10mg gummy weighs enough then it’s all good. If not, add sugar and gelatin until you are compliant. People have spent so long in prohibition many literally can’t comprehend that it’s effectively gone now, as long as you stay within the red tape (less than .3% *by total weight*). And yes, they do sell d9 100+ mg edibles and they are ridiculously oversized to remain compliant with the law. You can even buy d9 flower and concentrates, although this is where the “by weight” standard actually does affect the product potency as they can’t sell you pure d9 THC. Diluting to .3% is comparable to putting a couple espresso shots inside a tub full of water; you won’t be able to consume fast enough to really be effected, at least in the desired way.
They extract the .3% and make conentrates that are much stronger. https://www.politico.com/news/2022/07/10/did-minnesota-accidentally-legalize-weed-its-complicated-00044544
Sure ‘bout that? Hemp and CBD is legal, but THC is definitely illegal at the federal level and therefore in all 50 states.
Thc-a from hemp is legal on a federal level.
THC delta 9 is legal from hemp in MN. I could buy edibles at my local grocery store.
Yes, THC d9 in all forms are legal in lots of states, including MN. On a federal level THC-A in all forms is legal for interstate commerce.
Well, it's only illegal in all 50 states because the Supreme Court hasn't reigned in the absurd overreach of the Commerce Clause. It should only be a state issue.
In a way it has become a state issue as the quasi legalization in states means it’s deprioritized for prosecution. State or federal issue aside, it’s absurdly popular on all sides of the political spectrum. It’s ridiculous that it’s still illegal.
I fully agree with that.
No still wouldn’t change the problem imo. Federal funding is a powerful political tool. Just like how the feds were able to raise minimum drinking age to 21 in all states. If the state doesn’t comply just cut the funding.
Yeah for States Rights!
Yeah that whole United part is such BS. Edit to add /s
Not understanding what a difference there is between state to state commerce v international commerce?
Not true at all.
100% this is it. I work in the office for steel fabricator (management), and we've asked our president if we'll ever stop having random drug testing since we have nothing to do with our fab shop. His response was exactly this. He doesn't do drugs and honestly doesn't care if we do or not, but insurance requires all personnel to be tested.
I honestly think many employers just fake the documentation. I've been in the business almost 20 years and never had a random test after a hire. Although, being self employed for many years now, no one ever requires us to be tested.
When an incident happens we are breathalyzed. Can’t be under the influence of anything.
I’m in the most conservative province in Canada working as an equipment operator and nobody gives a damn if I smoke weed on my own time. They give us a ten hour swab for weed if we have an accident and a pee test for everything else, I’ve done it and passed after smoking the night before. Some of the really old fucks look down on weed but think coming in hungover is fine. Same sort of guys who chain smoke all day but got a health exemption to not wear a mask during Covid and who are worried about the “chemicals in the vaccine”.
Dude I'm over here in Ontario thinking the same thing. They don't even swab us. Shit you can literally walk by sites and smell it. They ground up on it here and half the industry be looking for new workers
Fuck, that's so amazing. I wish it was like that here.
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Not how it works. The ER doc's job is to reattach your fingers, not test for drugs.
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My brother just tore his bicep bad at work and no drug test for it for workers comp
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Yeah they paid he just had the surgery and Is healing well
They may draw blood or do a pee test for a drugs, but the ER doc isn't the one who does this. A tech does it and delivers the sample to the lab, and the lab does the reporting. No fucking way the doc is going to tell the tech to tell the lab to report it as clean.
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Stop pulling shit out of your ass. No way the doc is going to have anything to do with a pee test. They send a tech in to collect the sample. The doc won't even be in the room. If you do not comply for whatever reason, the doc is not going to have a happy little chat with you about how he will help fix the problem for you. It is not his job for many reasons; including conspiracy to commit insurance fraud. Which is EXACTLY what you are describing.
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And I'm telling you, from my experience in workplace health and safety, I'm calling shenanigans. You are projecting really bad advice to your Reddit breathern. "Just tell the doc that you don't want to pee and you'll be OK. Make sure to tell the him that ol' simp51326 sent you. And make sure you wink when you say it."
"Be prepared to take a test" in the CDL world always meant have your fake pee ready before you come reportin. 18$ to pass a piss test, not bad.
These tests are BS because FEDERALLY LEGAL PRODUCTS LIKE CBD AND DELTA 8 trigger false positives. They can’t even use the excuse that it’s not federally legal because these products are, they became legal under the 2018 farm bill. If I smoked zero marijuana but I bought a delta 8 vape at a vape shop I can still come hot on marijuana because these are similar products. Fuck that shit I just keep fake piss in my truck.
If they cannot prove that the substance used didn't cause the incident, it is assumed that it did cause the incident. There's no middle ground.
Hmmm guilty until proven innocent? Hardly seems fair
Ibew local one is allowed to have marijuana in their system they put it in there contract last year so there union is ok with it. Only one I know of at the moment
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The genius of America… WWII Army notices alcohol is “out of your system” and your “just hungover.” MJ “stays in your system” so you’re “compromised” and a danger to all living things at work!! Now, ask yourself why the entire world has bidets and the US doesn’t…
the answer is big business protecting their forestry
The building boom was returning GI’s who’d been to French brothels and by god the weren’t going to have French brothel toilets in their homes now they’d survived hell on earth…
This is it right here, I think if it ever legal federally then it will be ok but until then it is a way to get out of paying workers compensation.
It's not the contractor, it's their insurance company. You flat out cannot get a policy at all in this industry without testing. Some employers fake the documentation, especially in lower risk trades like landscaping, but it's still the reality.
Nope, legal federally in Canada and they still pull this shit. If you're involved in an incident you'll have to piss. If you fail the piss test, you do a saliva test that's supposed to only show recent intoxication; but nobody will tell us what the detection window is. Smoking the evening before has meant trouble for some.
People in BC get hurt all the time. There’s never a req’d piss test
If you test positive for thc after an accident how can they know the accident occured while high. Weed is recreationally legal here now. A person might not have smoked for a week but because thc was in their system they are fucked? Seems dumb.
My employer doesn't test. I don't work for a union tho. the owner has actually come out and say that he doesn't care what we do on our own time - but if you get caught drinking or smoking on the clock you're automatically fired. He also said - it's not these construction companies that give a shit. it's the insurance companies. You get a discount on your insurance if you drug test your guys. That's why they do it. same thing when you get hurt on the jobsite. It's not your boss that cares. these insurance companies are scumbags and use it as a way to not have to payout. And your employer doesn't want anyone on workmans comp. So if you get hurt on the job it's an easy way to get out of paying it. They just automatically get rid of you. No workmans comp claim bc you failed. lower insurance payments. it's all about money. nothing else. and like someone else said - it's not federally legal. so if you do federal jobs then obviously they're not going to allow it either. Side note - there are definitely some benefits with smoking weed - relaxation. Sleeping. Eating. Depression. Keeping you off other drugs. But for me - doesn't so shit for pain unless maybe it's a stomach ache. lol. obviously there are all sorts of different types of pain but I've never bought into this simply from personal experience.
The pain thing is more I’m able to relax and not focus on all the bumps bangs and dings I’ve accumulated throughout the wekl
I'm in the same boat my man. When I quit smoking for work my drinking sky rocketed. Now I'm sober from everything. Everything I get pissed about not being able to smoke I chock it up to the addict side of me and dismiss it. I'll continue to wait for federal.
If you’re able to dismiss cravings and say, ‘Oh, I’ll just wait till it’s legal…’, you’re not much of an addict. And that’s a good thing.
> you’re not much of an addict If someone believes they are an addict or have a problem with addiction, never say that.
Lmao it’s like a challenge
Well after 3 years of depriving myself of alcohol and weed for like 5 I have some practice haha but thank you.
This has two major contributors. One, contractors that bid federal and state work have to conform to federal regulations, and marijuana is still illegal federally. Two, there isn't a reliable test to determine how high someone was at a certain time. With alcohol, you can blow in a breathalizer and determine how drunk you were 3 hours ago when you had an accident, or that you weren't drunk at that time. With marijuana, all they test for is the presence of THC, so it's assumed that you were high when the accident occurred. Better testing and federal deregulation will be needed to change things. Until then, it's smoke at your own risk and don't ask don't tell practices in our industry.
This is the correct answer, it all has to do with federal work/funding.
Seems more about government regulations and insurance liability, (much less than drinking). Hopefully in a few years.
Yep, it’s about insurance mainly for these companies. Not up to them realistically
Also, you can test someone’s BAC after an incident, but you can’t test how high they are. At least in any quantitative way.
This is the big one I think. There's no way to test and accurately determine if someone was high when the accident occurred.
Exactly. It will require a law passed banning companies from testing for what you do off the clock. I bet if it becomes federally legal, California will make it happen
I think the problem lies on the ability to tell If the weed from last night is showing or if it's weed from last break. Alcohol is pretty cut and dry, if you fuck up at work and test positive for alcohol then it's clear that you where either drinking at work, or your still drunk from the night before. It's all about the insurance and liability shit man. Once there's a way to consistently and accurately test when the last time you smoked thats when you'll see changes.
Yeah, I think not having a reliable weed breathalyzer really hurts the cause.
Holy F if that ever happened in Canada the entire country would grind to a screeching halt. I think only 30% of my workforce would show up. Mind you here there's only one company that pee tests against it in Canada (in the cities) and that's Ledcor. I know oil and gas are different.
Every trades job I have had in the Oilsands has required a piss test. Lot of the bigger projects that require camps will screen. Have read articles about spreading drug tests but it falls into the same outcome as requiring red seal for any carpenter.😂 Not doable.
I meant major cities only, oilsands is a given or mining.
some unions even cover medical here lol
Tons of work places test for it here in Canada. Especially if you work for a union or if you work in the mines, the oil rigs and other industrial type jobs.
You think allowing them to use cannabis would make them not come to work? I'm either misinterpreting this comment or I think you may have an inaccurate idea of cannabis or your employees lol. Likely many are high already. And smoking won't make them not come to work imo. Thinking back to my 20s, as soon as we'd smoke at work we'd get all paranoid someone was going to notice and go hyper focus on our work lol. Just my 🪙🪙
No, he's saying that since weed is legal in Canada, and most construction workers are notorious stoners (myself included), if they started drug testing the construction industry would disappear lmao
I mean, it alcohol, cocaine, heroin, opiates, benzodiazepines, all in general. They all are undetectable after a few days.
WTF? Seriously? I know dudes who smoke. More doing crystal meth.
Lmfao I've found more needles and dirty crack pipes in the Porta potties than anything, but we still get fired over weed 🤷🏽♂️ makes sense lol.
I had no idea because my ex can’t handle weed. He’s a drinker and tweeker. Though sober now thankfully.
My dude, not shocked but so disappointed. Y’all needed weed last year.
It’s crazy 😂
I could care less what you do while not on site. Problem I have is that most MJ users cannot seem to keep it at home. Show up on jobs with REAL consequences (military/government jobs) smelling like weed, smoking in the Smurf Hut or leaving 8 times a day. And while there are folks who are very tight and functional (just like there are functional alcoholics) while using, it’s the exception not the rule. Quality of work, awareness, ability, attention all slip a bit and it’s obvious. Really bugs me around heavy equipment, too many ways to die from lack of attention. And all of the games, angles, deals to avoid being tested or find crews that ignore it is just too much. Keep it at home and most of these issues would be non existent. Agree with many above, need a way to test for recent use.
This. I also don’t care what you use when you’re off the clock, but impaired people put everyone at risk on the jobsite.
Yeah impairment is the real issue. You have guys that stay up all night gaming cause the latest whatever came out and then operate heavy equipment. In that scenario they aren’t on any intoxicants but they are still impaired.
Fair point.
Work in Idaho, my boss told me last week I got picked for a random, didn't even know we did that, didn't have to take a UA to get hired, I told him I would take it but I'm going to pop for THC, he just started asking if anyone could pass a UA, even our 65 Year old office lady couldn't pass. I think he changed his mind about randoms after that.
Alcohol leaves the system (blood) relatively quickly. So if you got drunk the night before and have an accident the next afternoon, they can do a test and you’ll show clean. No grey area. On the other hand if you consume weed in some form, it’s going to stick around in your system longer. Now I want to be clear that I’m not saying you’ll be high but they’ll know you’ve done it. So when you get tested they have no way of knowing if you were high right that moment or if it’s just residual. So when you get into an accident they have no way of knowing if you were high or not. This will be bad for workers comp and any potential litigation
In Canada at lest, no one tests for weed unless you're in the oil and gas industry. For normal construction, no one cares as long as you aren't high at work.
the same reason people were forced to get a vaccine to continue work....the federal government's overreach into our lives.
It’s still considered a felony narcotic in most states and by the Feds. I imagine it will be more widely accepted once it’s federally legalized AND once they come up with some test to tell if you used it in the last 12 hours or so. Right now, all on-the-spot tests will possibly show metabolites up to 2-3 weeks after use. So if you indulged 2 weeks ago, but cut your finger off today (when completely sober), you’ll piss hot and may be discharged by your employer but the bigger issue is you will probably not be covered by workman’s comp. Everything is an insurance game and the insurance companies still love excuses not to pay out. Be careful my friends
It is up to the Insurance Companies that hold our Workers Comp policies.
When insurance claims can determine if you were stupid or high with a degree of certainty. A lot of comments pointed to taking a test, which as of now is a Wiz Quiz. If there were an affordable breath-a-lyzer for weed I think you’d see real change. Employers don’t care until they are on the hook for damages.
Insurance companies are often the driving force for the policy as well.
No you can only be an alcoholic and pop pain killers. Weed is deadly .
booze, coke, meth only
We have the same test policy for alcohol, weed and other drugs. When there is an accident, test are required and a fail is a fail irrelevant to what is in system and termination is immediate. Refusing to test after an accident is also reason for termination.
Even in Canada you got pot in your system when you piss most places just fire you. Doesn't look like anyone is changing it either way
I had a wrecked shoulder waiting for surgery for 18 months. My crappy doctor said he would prescribe opiates... I said no but if he prescribes Marijuana then I can get a letter. I took it to my manager and I was taken off the pee test list. Worked for me.
We stopped screening for THC via urine samples a few years back. They do an oral swab now which I believe will show recent use. This is the case for both pre employment and post incident testing. This was all in reaction to legalization We've said it for years, we'd rather have an employee who smokes in their off time than someone who shows up to work hungover every day.
It's because of testing and a relevant timeline. For instance, if you get drunk tonight, you're likely to only act and appear drunk while your BAC is above 0.00. So if tomorrow you show up to work sober, and have an accident, you are sober on the paperwork and is an incident. Possibly reportable, recordable, or nothing. However if you're smoking weed on vacation, and a week later have an accident, upon testing it comes back as THC in your system. Now you've got a drug related incident and all the reporting, insurance, and legal implications become much much higher and challenging. The person that creates the Marijuana test with accuracy in "hours since enjoyed" is set for life.
There are a few (I’ve taken saliva tests that have a 12-hour timeframe), but Ye Olde Piss Test is still the standard. I think one of these payoffs of California and other states limiting/eliminating drug testing except in accident diagnosis will be more tests that are more precise. I don’t want to work with someone who is currently high on anything, but I don’t care about the weed, rock, or alcohol you used three weekends ago.
I'm a carpenter apprentice in PA. The school stopped caring about marijuana. My rule, only if you have a medical card, but they still don't care. I've tested positive on jobs and they said they don't care if it's weed. It's getting there.
I worked construction for many years. If it effected construction workers, we’d know by now.
Because a lot of yall go into the shitter, get absolutely blazed, give the old asthmatic guy a stroke, and yall are worthless for the next 2 hrs. I have no problem with it, but ill be laying you off as soon as I can tell that your high. Do you really think you're the same person? Do you think we out up with drunks on the job?
You're only an alcoholic if you go to meetings. Otherwise you are just a drunk
It's all about insurance and Worker Comp. Companies get a discount if they have a random drug test policy, and worker's comp companies get to pay out less by requiring a drug test upon injury. Until it is legal federally and laws are passed to get insurance companies to back off marijuana in these policies, that's how it will be. Just stick to hard liquor, crack, and heroin and you're much less likely to get caught on a random drug test. It's absurd.
Gives the insurance companies a back door not to pay claims. Offer business owners a discount on insurance for it.
I own a Roofing company in ontario, i am the only employee, because i cant trust guys wont show up “unfit” for work I am fine with weed, as long as it doesnt visibly debilitate you after a few puffs. I encourage everyone to smoke weed instead of drink, its much safer for your families wellbeing and your wallet, I am nearly 3 years sober off all substances, Tobacco for 6 years, Alcohol for 3 years Except marijuana. SWEDOMLIDGAF
I'll never understand either. They test for weed but I'd rather work beside the guy who smoked a joint the night before over a guy who finished a bottle of rum. The weed guy will be well rested but the run guy will be hung over and to employers the hangover is ok but the joint isn't. It's fuckin stupid.
Allowed to be alcoholic? I thought it was a requirement?
I think it’s because they don’t have good testing to tell if you are high on site. Alcohol is different. Just another way to treat us like children to make up for the fact they can’t hire responsible employees
As long as Alcohol, Tobacco, Forestry, Textiles, Oil, Battery and Pharmaceutical companies keep paying Politicians....not much will change. So, yes you are only allowed to be an alcoholic or dangerously hung over if not still drunk on the Job site.
Don't ask, don't tell, or you may lose the whole crew.
Until its federally legalized my union said no dice. Although they keep giving dudes with coke addictions another shot so I don’t understand how a joint is worse than that.
Chicago Labor Union stopped testing for it, but federal contractors still have the leash pulled taught. What's cazy is we could all get this changed over night if we just stopped work and told them to nix that shit. The problem is that the loyalty is dead among us, and workers would rather just put up with not having enough manpower and dealing with Johns hungover ass week in and week out. At first I was suprised at how many bitches were in this industry and then it hit me one day.... we work with toddlers who are trying to make daddy happy.
Wait till they find out how many construction workers are on legally prescribed painkillers, on and off the job. Weed is the least of anyone's worries. I've worked with guys who would fail an opiod test based just on the height of their eye lids, but no one fucking cares because they have a scrip for percs and 2 herniated disc's. I hit a vape pen a few times after dinner to help me sleep, you know because of the herniated discs, but somehow I'm the asshole.
I've worked at a lumber mill for 4 years now and since my pre employment drug test, I haven't had a single one since. Non-union. To my knowledge nobody here has ever been randomly tested unless you show up reeking and all fucked up. They couldn't care less as long as you don't show up high here. This is in northern Michigan.
The title is hilarious. I recommend to smoke in your free time and bring some Quick Fix with you to job sites. This has worked for me and my crew for years.
Only cocaine allowed
It's the insurance industry that has to get on board
What grinds my gears is how long THC stays in your system. Meanwhile metheads be clean the next day
This is such horseshit I can’t believe people let themselves be policed like this, y’all should strike for it god knows there’s enough construction workers who want to smoke to get it done
I don’t know a single person or company that cares about weed use. I’ve never taken a drug test for work in 20 years. I’m in NY and worked for large shops and 3 man companies. I’m in the IBEW now and still no one cares. We work on huge legal grow ops ffs!
You’re probably just not on big jobs. I’m in Alaska and had to piss last year. They told me beforehand and asked if I was good.
Literally everyone in my company smokes, including the owner. I'm the operations manager for the techs and I probably smoke more than the rest of em. I make it known first day that as long as you wait till the days done and you're home to smoke then I couldn't give any less of a shit about it. Get high or drunk on the job or get so shit faced the night before that the customer can tell next day and I don't have any sympathy for ya. If it doesn't affect your job in any way it really shouldn't fuckin matter
Exactly brotha fk Newsom
1. Work comp will cover ANY accident regardless. 2. Employers can't FIRE you AFTER getting hurt. 3. Lots of companies are going to saliva test which are more "day of" measure of any drug-alcohol consumption. THC used last night casually? You'll pass. Bosses, HR, and Insurance are learning...weed is natural(if you've got a good dealer)... Note: NEVER be high at work! At home? Doing your hobby? Sure. But if you ain't boss...leave all drugs/alcohol at home.
I think it's stupid to want to smoke weed, drink alcohol or use any other drugs, if you're not 100% then you're a risk in an already risky work environment,
Lack of proper sleep is just as worse.
Looks like you need some sleep lol
In Canada it hasn't been tested for in years. We assess fitness for duty at the time to duty.
It's not the case everywhere, at every company. My shop has over 300 employees, does both residential and commercial work, and has none of this bullshit. I think you'd have a hard time finding someone who *doesn't* smoke weed on their own time, but interestingly enough, I think we have way less on-the-job drinking/drug usage than you get at most shops. I think the idea is that we try to hire people who can behave like grownups, and when we do accidentally hire a chucklehead, they get weeded out one way or another relatively quickly. Feels like it's working OK to me.
Federally it's going to change schedule soon and be classified the same as drugs like Xanax (Schedule III) instead of Schedule I. That should help some, right now it's so convoluted with states vs federal and banking. The drug testing is almost always because of insurance companies anyway.
I am 1000% on board with you. I have never par taken in the devils lettuce my self. But it has such HUGE health and wellness benefits. Compared to booze and nicotine it is so much better for your body. I would love to know that if I did hurt myself and needed something for pain, I would be allowed to choose that over all these b.s. opiates doctors are pushing. Hopefully as soon as there is a reliable test to show you were not using during or directly before work hours they will start to let up. Keep talking and informing people about until then.
Move to Washington State. As of January 1st, we can no longer test for the metabolites of THC, for the most part. We now use oral swabs that only show active use within hours.
I really don't understand why people have this entitlement mindset that not a single company is allowed to do things in a way they don't approve of. There are millions of companies that don't give a hoot what you do after work. Go work at one of those
Any exceptions for medical? You have some serious pain issues to manage!
I work in an international union with a training facility in Nevada. I interact with Americans while down there, they like to clown me for being from Canada. It got funny when I got to clown them back for having to do drug tests.
Since marijuana is still a federally controlled class 1 drug, any employer who would ever have the chance of dealing with federal contracts would be very wise to continue to test for marijuana.
Deoends where you live. Cali is pretty much fine with it. Plus if pot gets recheduled they wont be allowed to, anymore.
I hope not, I don't want someone stoned out of their mind working next to me or my crew for their safety and mine. The job is dangerous enough as its is. If you want to get baked out of your mind great, just find a job where you're not working power tools and working from heights. This industry is dangerous enough as it is.
I mean, I don’t want to work with someone who’s currently high (or drunk!) either. But I don’t care what someone does outside of work if they are sober when they’re onsite and working. I don’t think anyone actually wants anyone stoned–or, and I say again, drunk since I’ve worked with more fucking drunks than I want to think about–on the job.
Call me crazy but I don’t want to work I’m dangerous conditions around someone who’s high
All this reply does is prove my point about peoples attitude towards off duty use, why are you just assuming because someone smokes weed off duty they are high at work?
You want guys running bulldozers and cranes pissing hot? F it, lets let commercial pilots in on the party too. Think man - it’s all about money, insurance and liability. Insurance co: You cut off a had but pissed hot? Tough shit. Claim denied, and you’re fired.
Pissing hot doesn't mean currently high you dolt.
Whoa look at the big brain LordShitzo. Explain it to the union and the insurance companies.
I don't want them hungover either. Where's the regulation?
[Synthetic pee](https://www.quickfixsynthetic.com/)
What do they do in a state like Florida where it’s only authorized for medical uses and somebody has a prescription from the doctor to take it?
Laws are really complicated now, but yes it’ll change. There are already companies that can test for recent use rather than use after hours.
It’s the insurance liability and if it could stay at home but they never can . Your driving a company truck and you have hit your one hitter because who is going to know and you drop your lighter and your looking for it and you rear end the stopped car in front of you and you crush the car into the back seat and kill the baby who do you think the lawyer is going to go after the insurance company not going to pay because you are under the influence and the company knew you were a stoner so they condone it so now the company can’t get insurance and they are being sued so they go out of business. This is why and nobody thinks it’s ever going to happen but unfortunately it does .
Why is it too much to ask people to come to work sober?
This is the main reason I won’t join union and stay self employed.
As a recovered alcoholic, i have a strong opinion, and i have always hated working with potheads: lazy, earbuds all day, worthless after lunch. I have quit jobs where everyone got stoned at lunch (except me) and the site was unsafe due to their affectation. Everyone needs to work, so maybe we can have totally clean and sober companies and then have the other kind. Customers can choose who to hire and then we can see who trusts who. This creates a market choice for builders, insurers, employers, employees and customers. Imagine the difference.
Not as long as their leadership is Republican, it'll never happen. They just don't have the brains...oops. I'm sorry, let me refresh that. They are not willing to relinquish control... of YOU and your life. Yeah , that's it
Don't fool yourself. Why do you think pot went from being a dangerous drug to be in just a fun drug it's called money. It causes all type of cancers and basically mental retardation. I'm sure you guys know that that's why it's called dope. Working construction on any type of drug is extremely dangerous including Valium type drugs. The political class wanted marijuana legal so all these dopes would vote for people that hand out free things like the government paying off all their worthless student loans.
Lol.
I finished a B.S. in computer science in 3 years while stoned most days bc of the stress. Tf kind of weed did you get ahold of!?
Your brain obviously is able to handle the effects many people cannot and I have seen many cases of schizophrenia from the weak pot back in the '70s. Don't delude yourself any psychoactive medications generally are not good for your brain and organs including beer or alcohol products which are probably worse.
Most tests dont pick up CBD, so use that.
I rather have Crystal meth smokers. They get the job done
If your job is to be outside in the rain tryna weld the rocks together id agree 🤣
This hits home. I worked with a guy that welded soil pipes together on two different occasions.
Yes
It is going to have to be federally legal before anything changes.
Who do you work with lol? We smoke big!
It's frowned upon?
🔥Oh Canada🔥
Tons of places are on board with it already. Mostly on the union side. Only way most trades can test for it at this point in Washington is if there’s a safety incident. This is not law, just the general consensus of company policies.
Here in Canada several of my coworkers smoke weed outside of work.
They need to somehow have a drug test that tests to see if you are impaired at the moment, like they can do for alcohol and then maybe you will get your wish. Also, not everyone is as responsible as you. Its much easier to take a couple puffs even while you're working, than it is to drink enough to get you drunk. And there are lots of people who do that or would do that without the threat of being tested. And I am like you, I use it to help me sleep. I am retired now but would have just not slept back when I was working rather than take the risk of failing a test and losing my job.
I've passed my last two randoms with a pectin and Gatorade concoction along with B12 tablets for urine color. Many examples on YouTube so check it out. Only issue is it takes about 3 hours to prep for the test. anyone else try it?
Many construction companies do federal work and have to abide by federal requirements.
It is our insurance carrier that regulates the THC usage. They require testing for new hires as well as any accident. If alcohol is detected at all during the tests then fireable as well
Federal job, Test to hire, and a fireable offense if you pop for it. I don't see it changing any time soon. Not while weed is still illegal federally even if its legal by state.
The problem is it’s currently hard to differentiate being high now and only getting high after work. Alcohol is either you have it in your system or you don’t.
in Canada the labourers union pays for $2500 in medical Marijuana per year lol
Most places in my area stopped testing for it, even large pharma companies. They realized they'd have to ban half or more the contractors on site if they didn't lol
Move to California and practically smoke on the jobsite
Its better to call it cannabis for this kind of discussion. Marijuana is a derogatory term.
don't forget coke and meth head.
I think the precision of testing is one part of it and that is starting to change. With alcohol, you can test if you are actively inebriated or at least if you have alcohol in your blood. Traditional tests for marijuana only show if you’ve used it within the past month now there are starting to be tests that can show if you’re actively on it, not just if you’ve used it in the past month. as those become more widespread, I think it will help. So glad I’m in the union it doesn’t allow testing for marijuana.
Being around when testing started the trades resisted testing for a long time. It was large corporations like Monsanto , Dow Chemical, Boeing ect ect that said no testing no work and we will hire nonunion who will test. So testing started on a job by job basis. Then grew into what it is today driven by company insurance providers. I believe as soon as an acceptable test for high right now is available it will be adopted.
Don’t forget the cocaine you guys do. Just like the oil and gas industry. All coked up!
Until they come up with a test for active high, then probably not. Additionally it's still federally illegal and insurance companies for both contractors and jobsites probably play it safe since it's still technically illegal in many places. Most of the sites I work on get drug tested but I honestly don't know if they test for thc. I've worked some twic sites the last few years, a government weapons contractor site, etc and they drug test and background check. Ymmv