^{Millions of workers should be tested for drugs: Met chief declares war on substance abuse}
Professionals should face drug testing, says Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe
Met Police Commissioner said action was needed to discourage demand
He said testing could take place in 'all occupations', but in particular teachers, intensive care nurses and transport staff
By JACK DOYLE
PUBLISHED: 00:04, 30 January 2013 | UPDATED: 01:53, 30 January 2013

Millions of professionals should face mandatory drug testing at work, Britain’s most senior police officer has suggested.
Anyone who failed a test and refused help to get clean should lose their job, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said.
The Metropolitan Police Commissioner said as well as ‘robust’ policing of dealers, action was needed to discourage the demand for illegal substances. He said testing could take place in ‘all occupations’ but cited in particular teachers, intensive care nurses and transport staff.

In a speech to the all-party parliamentary group on cannabis and children, Sir Bernard said drug testing and the fear of losing their job would act as a deterrent for drug users. He said: ‘It seems to me we have got to plant in people’s minds something to affect the demand as well as supply. You can think of many occupations where if you were working with a colleague you would want to be sure in fact that they were drug free.’
Employers who discovered a staff member abusing drugs would not have to turn ‘informant’ and tell the police, he added.
Anyone caught with drugs in their system should be offered help to stop, he said – but anyone who refused that help should suffer ‘consequences, which would probably be about their employment’.

The rest of the article's here...

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2270419...e.html#ixzz2JR7AvG14

As someone who doesn't use drugs (except cigarettes) I still think the public needs to stand up and tell this busy body to mind his own business and fuck off! What a cheeky bastard! EVERYBODY needs to stand together if this is implemented, and refuse point blank to co-operate with any such checks. If only there was a united front, they couldn't do get away with it. But you can bet that people will comply out of fear (and a sense of virtuousness from the really stupid ones).

I can't see this becoming popular. There's enough police who take the odd E or smoke a bit of pot when they're off duty. It's amazing how many people like the odd pill, line or smoke and that's people from all jobs and of all ages. It's going to be seen as a waste of time and money. Hopefully.

Gilly wrote:
lol :p

Just 'cause it's the Mail doesn't mean Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe Met Police Commissioner isn't pushing for it though Andy.

Gilly wrote:
Him and the daily hate mail both

they do this drug testing in usa for everything from working at wal mart cleaning up piss all the way up to rocket surgeons. its all 'drug free work zones' now. i know a girl going to nursing school, they made her drug test, and charged her for it too. its stupid.
A, I like drugs. and B, mind your own business motherfuckers.

if its not interfering with work, what is the problem?
heroin junkies, crack heads... this is something to sort out from the ground up, not top down.

batou wrote:
Exactly! And if it's common practice over there, it's probably scheduled for here.

Gilly wrote:
I have a chum at Thames Water who gave up his recreational chemical fun because of the threat of drug tests. I fail to see the point of them.

If they had them where I worked it wouldn't bother me, I can blag my way past any positive results.
But I would kick up a stink, big time, if they didn't test for alcohol levels of ALL staff as well.

A trial period of say 6 months would be useful, plod and politicians first then let's see how popular the idea is after 6 months

^ Yeah but when smoking in public was banned, it didn't apply to the smarmy sods in the House of Lords etc - they just carried on as before.

Hugo, I don't want them to be able to test for anything though. If any substance you take has a negative influence on your work, then they've grounds to take action just because your work's below par - they don't need to delve into your private life, imo, and shouldn't have any right to.

It's a rather forthright statement though, most honest. "Your leisure time is secondary to us, it's your productivity we are interested in".

I think the whole thing is designed to pry.
If employers were that worried about effects on work performance then prescription drugs would have to be considered as well.

They've had this on cruise ships for a number of years as well. Not sure why.

If your productivity is within established acceptable guidelines, they have no reason or right to be making you take random drug tests. And it isn't they'd soon have you out regardless of the cause. It is prying, and it's intolerable, imo. There might be exceptions, if impairment of your judgment is potentially life-threatening, like if you're a pilot or something. But other than that, it's something that people should resist.

It's time for the obligatory Bill Hicks clip

Sounds like it could be used as a bullshit reason to lay more people off

Gilly wrote:
I agree. Sadly people don't resist, at least not in the work place.

We have a culture of meek acceptance.

they make it part of your agreement when you start work, that you agree to random drug tests. a few guys in the union here i know they took drugs cos someone who isnt me didn't give them to nobody, they were exempt because they worked before it became mandatory. they don't work there any more though since it closed down. not because of drug users, but because of suits.

batou wrote:

batou wrote:
This is what pisses me off so bad. So, you're only going to pay someone $7 per hour and you want to screen their piss first? Total bullshit. I can understand if the job was a school bus driver or brain surgeon....but a cashier or a janitor? Seems like a violation to me. I've luckily never had to piss test for anything but if I ever have to, I'm using synthetic piss. It worked for my boss when he was on probation. Passed every test while high as fuck!

Oh, and I was wondering, batou- what is your avatar from? Looks kewl...

hey kbone, its from ghost in the shell silly!