TIP: Click on subject to list as thread! ANSI
echo: norml
to: ALL
from: LP
date: 1997-02-08 23:18:00
subject: [ 6/15] Drug Testing

 >>> Part 6 of 15...
people.  Before this, he was purposefully obstructive in his role
as the director of the University of Mississippi Marijuana
Research Program, denying many sick individuals good medicine. 
In fact, it was Carlton Turner who started the unsubstantiated
rumor -- an ``Urban Legend'' -- that marijuana made your immune
system break down, when he stated in public addresses that
smoking marijuana caused homosexuality *and* AIDS[16].)
                             SUMMARY
The above has shown that the reasons which we give for drug
testing are not in fact the reasons we drug test.  Drug testing
would not fix the problems of casual drug use in the work-place
even if they do exist (and there is much doubt as to that) -- at
least, not as effectively as other approaches.  The actual
driving force behind drug testing is nothing more than an
ideology -- one which might not even be yours! [3] 
So, if you test your applicants or employees for drugs, you are
getting bilked.  That man with the plastic cup is not helping, he
is simply making a profit off of your prejudice.  You have most
likely turned down many potentially good employees who use drugs
in favor of less talented and qualified applicants who do
not[13].
If you allow yourself to be drug tested, you are participating in
the drug testing industry by contributing to their business. 
Every time you piss in a cup, you are pissing on all the people
who live in this country who use drugs -- including many of your
friends and relatives, possibly even your self.  Every time you
pay your taxes, you are likewise contributing to this Drug War
juggernaut.
The drug testing industry is a colossal waste.  If you want an
improved America, you will have to stand up and say `NO' to the
War on Drugs, as hard as that may be.
               WHAT SHOULD BE/CAN BE/IS BEING DONE
           TO REMOVE OR REGULATE WORK-PLACE URINALYSIS
Can we make urinalysis illegal, or restrict its use in the work
place?
Here is where the libertarian viewpoint which I mentioned in the
introduction (Joe) *sometimes* does a strange flip-flop.  I have
seen many argue that it is within the rights of an employer to
drug test for on-the-job drug use on the basis of liberty -- if
they want to be stupid and fire creative and productive employees
that is their business.  If you believe this, then you might as
well skip the rest of this section, as it will not interest you 
-- about the only thing I can say to you is that things are going
to get worse before they get better:  More expensive and accurate
hair testing methods detect off-the-job drug use further into the
past[12], and unenforced guidelines for drug testing
accuracy[3][4] and the institution of spot-check tests[4][14]
threaten to allow the work place drug testing situation to
deteriorate to the point where you can be kept off the work force
pending official dismissal of a false positive result[3][4].
A lot can be done to resist the application of urinalysis and the
drug testing industry in general.  One of the easiest things, and
the first thing which must be done, is to convince others that
urinalysis is not appropriate.  Urinalysis is applied today
mainly because Americans agree that it is important[2][3].  If it
were to lose its popular support it would go away -- eventually.
For those of you who are not willing to wait around for that,
there are a few more direct actions which you can take.  One of
them is to write letters to community leaders, and to write
editorials to local newspapers and to magazines.  If you have had
a bad experience with work place drug testing, tell it to a
journalist.  If not, the attached sources should provide you with
plenty of ``ammunition'' for an editorial or three.
Another is to threaten boycott or other economic sanction against
companies who administer drug testing.  This involves keeping a
watch on which companies do and do not drug test.  If you have
access to e-mail on the Internet, there is a project which does
this, and you can help.  Sending an e-mail message to
piss@dixie.com with the pattern ``Send list'' in the subject line
will return you a copy of the Great Usenet Piss Test List. 
Please get a copy and register your company and any other company
you know about with the list, whether they do or do not perform
urinalysis.
There are a number of protests which can be effective against
work place urinalysis -- strikes, picketing, etc.  The key to
making any of these tactics work is publicity.  Nobody will
benefit if you risk your employment, health, or well-being and do
not make it into a huge event -- so if you try any of these
tactics, well, first, let me compliment you on your character and
bravery, but secondly and most importantly milk it for all the
 >>> Continued to next message...
___
 X Blue Wave/QWK v2.20 X
--- Maximus 3.01
---------------
* Origin: Who's Askin'? (1:17/75)

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