Saturday, October 29, 2022

Our Testing Must Improve

    I'm not one for much government regulation, but, yes, I wonder if laws should be drawn up guiding the practice of drug testing. Companies test for drugs. Probation officers test. Jobs are on the line. Reputations are in jeopardy. Jail time can result.

   Surely, we should ensure the job is done properly. No one should be cited for drugs when they only took poppy seeds. No one should get away with turning in a cup of Mountain Dew as their "urine" sample.

   There are many improvements we should make, starting with making the lab work quicker. What would it take to make it so the results come back within hours. And, if it shows drug use and the person says it must be poppy seeds, do a second test, a confirmation test, designed to be more specific. Surely, the morphine metabolites in poppy seeds have a chemical difference. Design the second test to determine if the "drug" is no more than poppy seeds.

   Visually inspect the sample before sending it to the lab. Take a temperature reading. If possible, observe as the person gives the sample.

   Now, there's a catch here. The process could become too expensive once the safeguards are put in place. Companies should have the right to screen employees for drugs. The improvements and corrections should not diminish that. 

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