Substance abuse is known to cause a lot of negative side effects. This is the primary reason why certain addictive drugs are banned. People
who take them put their health and the safety of others at risk. Drug testing may be performed under different circumstances to ensure that individuals are clean. This involves the acquisition and analysis of biological samples like urine, hair, sweat, saliva or blood. These will hold traces of illegal drugs or their metabolites. The types of chemicals testers look for will depend on the case. Let’s look at some of the situations wherein testing is necessary and why.
Pre-employment
Most employers will ask their new hires to undergo a drug test before starting with their work. This is a practical way of screening talents and minimizing the risk for the company. Studies have shown that people who take drugs are more likely to change jobs frequently. No employer would walk to hire a person and spend resources on training only to see them go after just a few months. Substance abuse also leads to tardiness and absences. People tend to be less productive if they have a drug problem. They also have an increased risk of getting into an accident and filing for worker’s compensation.
Post-accident
In the event of a vehicle collision, both parties will often undergo drug testing just to prove that they are not under the influence of anything that could impair their senses. This is extremely important in a lot of cases as insurance companies can deny them tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in coverage if they are proven to have traces of prohibited drugs in their system. The blame will shift and so the guilty party will have to shoulder all medical expenses and damage repair on his own. Drug testing may also be required after a workplace accident and similar situations.
School
Some schools also conduct drug testing to make sure that their students, staff, and faculty are all in compliance with the strict policies regarding this. This can be performed in various ways. It may be random with testers picking different individuals for sampling at numerous points across a school year. It could also be initiated after a complaint or a reasonable suspicion has been filed. The law prohibits school authorities from subjecting students to this test without their acquiescence unless they are engaged in competitive extracurricular activities like sports. Varsity players in college, for instance, are quite used to this protocol.
Sports
Indeed, things only get more interesting the further athletes go up the ranks. There are lots of doping allegations in the papers today. Celebrated Olympians have been stripped of their medals because of positive drug tests. This can drastically change or even end a person’s athletic career and affect further prospects of earning and competing at a high level. Professional athletes could lose multi-million sponsorship deals because of this scandal that will follow. Anyone who plays sports should be careful about the supplements and medications that they take. They should also be careful about who they get their medical advice from because some coaches and doctors have been known to push performance enhancing substances to their wards.
Safety
There are certain jobs that require total concentration and physical coordination. They need to be at their best every time they go out there to perform their tasks. This includes machine operators that handle large cargo or are put in hostile places. There is an extra reason for employers and manager to be concerned about their mental state. Safety issues may follow if their judgment were impaired. For example, they may cause substantial property damage if they were to make a bad move. Truck drivers are often subjected to testing given the dire consequences if they got involved in an accident.
Drug Testing
People should definitely avoid drugs if they can and play by the rules for a level playing field. The risk is just too great if you falter in your work and harm others. Your reputation will also be jeopardized and it will be hard to start over once this is damaged. Those who have taken illegal drugs before and wish to take on a new job should quit as early as possible and seek the help of a medical professional. Other additional steps may be taken to ensure that the system is clear of banned substances like using a test clear coupon.
