Need Advice About Marijuana Testing For CDL Drivers

No one suggested it would ever be ok to pop positive, but the fact is test do exist that detect ony the active components of thc aka if your high or not. They do this in Colorado already for four wheelers. Some drivers do narcotics and drive legally with a doctors waiver, it depends on the MRO who does the dot exam and the company policy. So I wouldnt say never or period etc. With several states voting for some form of legalization in the last day obviously things are changing. Just like you cant fail a breathalyzer they could eventually test drivers for impairment as opposed to what metabolites remain long after useage.

Holey Ancient Thread Resurrection Batman!

1 - Marijuana is a PROHIBITED SUBSTANCE for someone in a "safety sensitive position".

2 - If you choose to smoke, and test positive - you have chosen to seriously jeopardize (if not end) your trucking career.

3 - The current legal status of weed in the state you happen to be in, has nothing to do with #1 above.

4 - Even if the Feds legalize weed and make it a "non-scheduled substance" - it will probably be a LONG TIME (if ever) that CDL drivers are going to be OK testing positive for it.

So - it still comes down to the choice - do I want to DRIVE A TRACTOR TRAILER or do I want to SMOKE WEED? Regardless of "so-called foolproof ways" of beating a drug screen - with hair testing becoming more and more prevalent, stuffing synthetic urine down your shorts isn't going to cut it for much longer.

BTW - most McDonalds drug test their employees also. Ask MY SON, who used to come by the house to grab some clean urine in a zip lock from me, every time he had a job interview. Good thing for him - he grew up and can pass one on his own now.

And I smoked DAILY from 9 yrs old, until 29 years old - and followed the Grateful Dead around for 25+ years (347 shows - 72 of them sober) - so I'm no stranger to partying - and am not unsympathetic towards current weed heads.

You just can't use weed and work in this industry - PERIOD.

Rick

No one suggested it would ever be ok to pop positive, but the fact is test do exist that detect ony the active components of thc aka if your high or not. They do this in Colorado already for four wheelers. Some drivers do narcotics and drive legally with a doctors waiver, it depends on the MRO who does the dot exam and the company policy. So I wouldnt say never or period etc. With several states voting for some form of legalization in the last day obviously things are changing. Just like you cant fail a breathalyzer they could eventually test drivers for impairment as opposed to what metabolites remain long after useage.

I'm sorry brother - but you come on and resurrect a year old thread to advocate for weed smokers (or so your posts would appear).

IT IS FEDERALLY ILLEGAL - the industry is REGULATED BY FEDERAL AUTHORITIES & LAWS.

They don't care about you thinking you have a "right to break the law and use illegal drugs on your personal time".

I understand your angst - but you're also new around here, and this isn't really a topic for debate. We don't do politics here. And there are scheduled narcotics that are PROHIBITED even with a doctors note.

I find it difficult to believe that you sat on a YRC Safety Committee - and would take a position like this.

Not that I think there is anything wrong with weed, versus alcohol, etc.

We're about NEWCOMERS to the industry here - and the PARTY LINE IS - DON'T USE ILLEGAL DRUGS if you don't want to risk your career or future in this industry.

Rick

I guess you can smoke up anxiety free if you have a million dollars....back up plans for everything....

I just spent last 30 years as a home toker...Its been a lot of years of always worrying, feeling like a piece of crap when i realize on and off that at any moment, my paycheck is gone...which would end me, and my ability to keep my house, and food in it..

That afterwork J always won...Untill now a days....I just fricken quit...Im a man who has carried fake wee wee around for many many miles man...I needed all of it, and thankfully the stuff worked...Its not going to for much longer tho...It'll be hit or miss, just like computer viruses vs the anti-virus people...So, no chance of longevity...Also, with testing getting better and companies moving to 'observed samples' and hair testing...Pot just still doesnt mix with trucking...I pulled it off for a great long while, but at great effort...sure wish i liked beer better!! LOL...In hindsight, it was NOT worth the long term stress and worry

So this old recently x smoker says NO....Dont even bother...You;ll get used to it, it'll become habit/ritual, and you'll get busted...Dont even start, one of them..

If you wanna a good paying job, and be able to enjoy the weeds, those jobs are out there...Almost everywhere you can be a pot smoker and not have a problem...

Maybe you can become a person who developes a test!! A test that can accurately tell if someone is high on weed!! If you do that, then all the ships captains can smoke!! You could be tested on the spot like alcohol and would only come up dirty if you were actually high...

This ^^^^^ is what still begets my previous post.

Weed is still FEDERALLY ILLEGAL. Trucking is regulated by a FEDERAL AGENCY. It's highly unlikely, there will come a time in the foreseeable future, where you will be able to be a "home toker", and drop hot for weed - and still be allowed to drive a CMV.

Companies don't care WHEN you smoked - just THAT you smoked (and the gubbermint don't care either).

Without getting into the social/moral/medical complexities about weed here (and I believe in legalization, even though I haven't smoked in years, nor would I start again, even if it were legal) - we are talking about the LEGAL complexities on a FEDERAL LEVEL. And I doubt we're going to see Jeff Sessions change his mind on that issue any time soon.

Rick

I am amazed that this thread went on for 7 pages ! I would have thought it would've been a one and done ! This thread belongs in High Times magazine not in a trucking site since smoking weed can't be done and leave the driver in a safe position.

Bumping this thread back up. I've noticed several questions from newer posters lately that may benefit from reading this from cover to cover. Read it and come to your own conclusion....

I love weed. This has been a hard choice for me as well. I am clean and sober now and still have a real problem with drug testing. The one that ****es me off the most is the hair test. I didn't realize I was going to have such a problem with it but going into an office and having someone cut a big chunk of hair right from the crown is really really upsetting. And I know I'm clean. I just feel violated, like no one should be allowed to force this on me for a job.

However, the flip side of that is that I see why they do it. Weed or any other drug really has no place in trucking. It's dangerous okay. That's the bottom line. You are driving an 80,000 lb vehicle that doesn't belong to you loaded with someone else's expensive shait. If I was in charge, if it was my pricey equipment and merchandise, I'd want the same thing. I've met too many idiots out here to say its not important.

I am an advocate for across the board legalization of marijuana, and an advocate for safe responsible driving. It's not your car. The stakes are high (no pun intended). Like the others said, it may not be fair, but its a choice you have to make. If you drive with THC in your system, sooner or later you will get caught. Personally, I don't think the added stress is worth the risk. Say you got high three days ago on your home time, go back too work, get hit by someone on the road, really not your fault, but then are send to test because you were in an accident, guess what? You, the professional driver are liable. You just went from no problem, to big career ending problem. There are plenty of other jobs out there that don't care. Find one.

I wouldnt bet on something like frozen urine. Couldn't imagine what DOT would say if they found your block of **** lol.

I get you're into ganja and I don't blame you, its lovely, but here is the reality of the situation; you have to quit one of them. Either you stop using marijuana completely for the duration of your trucking career, or quit trucking. They just don't go together no matter how responsible you are, this is how the world is and you cant change by simply not following the rules. So you have to figure out which is more important, trucking or marijuana.

Unfortunately for you if you choose trucking, since you are heavy user, its going to take longer than 30 days for your body to be clear of THC, you only shed a couple dozen micrograms per day, so its going to take awhile depending on how much is floating around your blood stream.

If you really must use some kind recreational substance, stick with booze or psychedelics. Alcohol and psychedelics are out of your body in 24 hours and psychedelics are generally not tested for due to expense.

As for you being an addict, it certainly is possible. Addiction is characterized by heavy usage that is disruptive to your life. Your marijuana usage is arguably disruptive, or will be, to your career and therefore your life, and if you cant stop to remedy that issue well... You might be an addict!

If you're at home, smoking weed and watching cartoons when you could be making 40k a year sitting on your ass... You might be an addict!

I'm not judging brother, I love drugs, but I'm putting them aside so I can pursue a cool, unique job for couple years. I think you should do the same, quit now and hopefully you dont get caught and you can keep on truckin'.

Life is chock full of tough decisions and it sounds like this will be big one and I wish you the best of luck with it.

Pee tests can be beat but its not that that you have to worry about... Like pat said if you hit someone or someone hits you they do a blood test and can't beat that....

I didn’t read any of this but I have a lifelong friend from grade school who used to be in the operators union. He used to tape a bottle of synthetic urine to his leg with a hand warmer. Even in the summer. He drove otr for a few years and got a bottle of one of those cleanser drinks and he would drink it right before he went into a terminal. He has never failed a drug test. Don’t smoke weed. It’s not worth it.