drug testing

[Ghost in the Darkness]

My only problem is (again I dont condone it but for arguements sake) if you smoke pot on a Saturday and 2 weeks later injure yourself, twist an ankle. Obviously the drugs had no impact on the situation but if you're tested and positive because of suspicion or "targeting", you won't be working again with UPS for a long time.

I'll have to disagree with you there. Pot kills brain cells and its not hard to figure out who the stoners are by the off-the-wall stupid things they do and their constant paranoia about getting tested. I can't say that I have any sympathy for them either.

 

[hseofpayne]

Recently I stepped out of the rear of the package car and twisted my ankle really bad. Called my super she took my to the doctor while i was there (by myself) the nurse gave me a drug test. Every rule in the contract was broken on getting the sample not having a union rep there and controlling the sample. I told the union what had happened. A couple of days later i was fired. now i have to go to panel to get my job back. Does any one know the chances of me getting my job back. I know there is a rehab program for things like this but my rep wanted to go at it as a break of the contract.

Your rep probably knows how hard the Employee Assistance Program is to sucessfully complete. You are sent to a Substance Abuse Professional(SAP), who decides what kind of treatment you need, whether it be in-patient or out-patient therapy. After you sucessfully complete rehab(where they test you every few days), you will be required to attend either NA(narcotics annon.) or AA meetings , as mant as 3 times a week. You will also have to call a 1-800 number every day, type in your SSN, and find out if you have to take a drug test that day. This last for 1 year after you complete rehab.
Now I don't know your situation, but getting your job back on a technicality will only delay the inevitable. Management will be on you like a duck on a junebug, and you can bet you will be tested early and often. Depending on your drug of choice, you may or may not be clean if you DO get your job back. The guys on here who don't think weed is a drug should know that weed stays in your system a long time. If they choose to do a hair follicle test most weed users would be screwed. If you really have a drug problem, get help now. It may not be too late to get into the EAP, and it could save your life.
How do I know all this? I used cocaine for 5 years, alot, about $15,000 a year. One day, after being up 3 days in a row, I called my manager and told him I needed help. He is a good man, he got me into the program, told other UPS drivers I was out hurt, and told no one else. Even my on car sup didn't know. I finished the program and made it back to driving. About 3 months after coming back, I was involved in a bad on the job pkg car accident, wasn't my fault. All I could think of while I was waiting on the ambulance was "Thank God I Am Clean". If I hadn't gotten help, I would be out of a job with a screwed up shoulder and neck! My manager got there before the ambulance and the first thing he said was "You ain't got any issues with a drug test, do you?!"
As a result of my being willing to be open about my experience, other drivers in my center have gotten help. I am happier than I have ever been. I spent 5 years thinking UPS was out to get me, paranoid as hell I was going to get tested. Save yourself a lot of trouble and get help now, when it looks like its still your idea and not UPSs'. Good Luck.

 

[sx2700]

I don't want to sound condescending, but good for you Payne. I had a lot of friends in college that were into drugs, I never was fortunately, and a lot of them are still on them 20 years later and their life is pretty bleak. I am trying to raise kids in a town that I know has a drug problem and I just hope to hell they make good choices, because now I know parents of kids with drug problems and it scares the crap out of me.

 

[dilligaf]

Your rep probably knows how hard the Employee Assistance Program is to sucessfully complete. You are sent to a Substance Abuse Professional(SAP), who decides what kind of treatment you need, whether it be in-patient or out-patient therapy. After you sucessfully complete rehab(where they test you every few days), you will be required to attend either NA(narcotics annon.) or AA meetings , as mant as 3 times a week. You will also have to call a 1-800 number every day, type in your SSN, and find out if you have to take a drug test that day. This last for 1 year after you complete rehab.
Now I don't know your situation, but getting your job back on a technicality will only delay the inevitable. Management will be on you like a duck on a junebug, and you can bet you will be tested early and often. Depending on your drug of choice, you may or may not be clean if you DO get your job back. The guys on here who don't think weed is a drug should know that weed stays in your system a long time. If they choose to do a hair follicle test most weed users would be screwed. If you really have a drug problem, get help now. It may not be too late to get into the EAP, and it could save your life.
How do I know all this? I used cocaine for 5 years, alot, about $15,000 a year. One day, after being up 3 days in a row, I called my manager and told him I needed help. He is a good man, he got me into the program, told other UPS drivers I was out hurt, and told no one else. Even my on car sup didn't know. I finished the program and made it back to driving. About 3 months after coming back, I was involved in a bad on the job pkg car accident, wasn't my fault. All I could think of while I was waiting on the ambulance was "Thank God I Am Clean". If I hadn't gotten help, I would be out of a job with a screwed up shoulder and neck! My manager got there before the ambulance and the first thing he said was "You ain't got any issues with a drug test, do you?!"
As a result of my being willing to be open about my experience, other drivers in my center have gotten help. I am happier than I have ever been. I spent 5 years thinking UPS was out to get me, paranoid as hell I was going to get tested. Save yourself a lot of trouble and get help now, when it looks like its still your idea and not UPSs'. Good Luck.

You are an amazing person. I don't know what else to say except "thank you" and congratulations. That doesn't even seem adequate. God bless you.

 

[hseofpayne]

Thanks for your kind words guys. Keep an eye on your kids, watch for weight loss, skipping meals, not sleeping, change in friends, drop in grades, paranoia, money problems, you know, all the things kids do anyway! Oh, and also look for tools of the trade; cigarette lighters even if they don't smoke, small plastic bags, small pieces of tinfoil folded up, half straws or hollow ink pen tubes or glass pipes. Good Luck, and as Reagan used to say, "Trust But Verify!"

 

[IDoLessWorkThanMost]

I'll have to disagree with you there. Pot kills brain cells and its not hard to figure out who the stoners are by the off-the-wall stupid things they do and their constant paranoia about getting tested. I can't say that I have any sympathy for them either.

I have read quite a few scentific abstracts which say the opposite- it does not "kill brain cells" as you put it, but does affect short-term memory and cognative thinking and that's the end of it.

Anyway, you took my post obviously as pro-pothead when I pretty much said the opposite, I don't condone it, but think it's not nearly on the same level as other drugs and shouldn't be treated as such...

 

[over9five]

I don't think smoking on the weekend makes you an unsafe UPS driver. Unfortunately, as someone said, a bone you smoked a month ago will show in a drug test.

If we're serious about this, let's test every package car driver tomorrow. Anyone with drugs in their system can't work. I think we will have SERIOUS service issues!

 

[WhatPCM]

I don't think smoking on the weekend makes you an unsafe UPS driver. Unfortunately, as someone said, a bone you smoked a month ago will show in a drug test.

If we're serious about this, let's test every package car driver tomorrow. Anyone with drugs in their system can't work. I think we will have SERIOUS service issues!

Yes I agree we should do that. I would have a full time position the following day the tests come back. It would be great. ha ha ha.

 

[sx2700]

Yes I agree we should do that. I would have a full time position the following day the tests come back. It would be great. ha ha ha.

I like the way you think, I never thought of that. So yeah, lets do company wide drug testing. Woohoo.

 

[1989]

Start drug testing from the top

 

[WhatPCM]

thats why whenever someone ahead of me on the seniority list starts complaining and says that they want to quit. I always thank them.

 

[IDoLessWorkThanMost]

Start drug testing from the top

 

[Johney]

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't it mention in the contract about levels of drugs in your system? Let's say you smoke a joint a month before the test the THC levels will be lower then say if you smoked one a day before the test was givin. I know alot of companies will test you when you file a workers comp claim and deny you if you test positive at all.

 

[Johney]

The guy apparently couldn't even get in and out of his truck without injuring himself, how is he supposed to drive safely? Do you really want this guy or others like him driving around your neighborhood?

Your an idiot.

 

[sx2700]

Your an idiot.

How am I an idiot? Because I don't like the idea of drug addicts driving around in commercial vehicles? It's a good thing internet tough guys like you get to post anonymously, you spineless little twerp, can't even come up with decent dialog. And by the way, if you are going to call someone an idiot you might want to learn how to spell.

 

[hseofpayne]

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't it mention in the contract about levels of drugs in your system? Let's say you smoke a joint a month before the test the THC levels will be lower then say if you smoked one a day before the test was givin. I know alot of companies will test you when you file a workers comp claim and deny you if you test positive at all.

You are allowed certain levels(ng/ml) of drugs in your system before a positive test is declared. You never know when you are going to have an accident or injury or when your number may come up for a random test, so it is impossible to successfully use drugs at UPS. The peace of mind that comes with being completely clean of ANY drugs is priceless. Our job is stressful enough without having that worry in the back of your mind.
I have a older brother who smokes weed almost every day. When he found out about my cocaine use, he rationalized away his drug of choice as not being NEARLY as bad as mine. He shows all the long term affects of weed usage; short term memory loss, paranoia, mood swings, ect. I explained to him that if the police catch him with weed, they won't be impressed with his theories on weed not being a drug. Neither will UPS.

 

[dilligaf]

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't it mention in the contract about levels of drugs in your system? Let's say you smoke a joint a month before the test the THC levels will be lower then say if you smoked one a day before the test was givin. I know alot of companies will test you when you file a workers comp claim and deny you if you test positive at all.

No correction from me. You are right. It states in the contract specific levels of certain drugs from alcohol to weed and more.

 

[soberups]

Weed is an insidious drug. While not causing the gross levels of intoxication that occurs with heavy alcohol or "hard" drug use, it does cause extreme long-term distortions in a person thinking. I smoked weed on a daily basis for a long time and towards the end it made me into a paranoid idiot.
I do think it should be legalized, but only because it could then be regulated and taxed, with the proceeds earmarked to fund rehab programs. I also feel that any company should have the right to mandate a drug free policy, subject to appropriate and reasonable testing guidelines.
I am glad to be 11 years clean and sober.

 

[hseofpayne]

Weed is an insidious drug. While not causing the gross levels of intoxication that occurs with heavy alcohol or "hard" drug use, it does cause extreme long-term distortions in a person thinking. I smoked weed on a daily basis for a long time and towards the end it made me into a paranoid idiot.
I do think it should be legalized, but only because it could then be regulated and taxed, with the proceeds earmarked to fund rehab programs. I also feel that any company should have the right to mandate a drug free policy, subject to appropriate and reasonable testing guidelines.
I am glad to be 11 years clean and sober.

Cocaine does the same thing. I was so paranoid, I was writing down tag numbers of cars I saw more than once a day. I was convinced UPS had someone following me. I would also search my pkg car for hidden cameras or microphones! I've smoked weed ,too, and I couldn't imagine trying to concentrate driving a UPS car. I am not proud of the chances I took at UPS and I truly cannot understand why I was allowed to make it back to where I am now, just by the grace of God. One day at a time.......

 

[Lamer]

can anyone give this brother a break....IT'S WEED !!!! it ain't like the dude was smoking at work, on the clock. And all you C-blockers that haven't smoked before, just don't make comments cause you don't know what the friend you are talking about! if dude smokes a joint the night before... he's fine for the next day, it ain't like he's still high. how about you goggle the word WEED.

J. Ferrari
friend/T Pkg then friend/T Mang.

Peace