| The prominence of drug testing in the | | | | points of protests are dying a slow death as |
| workplace is expanding throughout the | | | | more and more people realize the importance |
| country as more and more companies employ | | | | of weeding out drug abusers from the |
| drug tests to take a this critical step to | | | | workplace. Drug testing in the workplace in |
| ensure the safety and sanctity of the | | | | some form is approved in most states of the |
| workplace. Optimally, keeping the workplace | | | | US, but the practice is not properly |
| clear of drug users would ensure greater | | | | regulated in most cases. The people who are |
| safety for the employees as a whole and | | | | subjected to drug testing in the workplace do |
| increase the overall productivity of the | | | | not necessarily give their consent, nor is |
| company, and cheap, easy and accessible drug | | | | it considered essential. The fact that a so |
| tests would make that happen. In spite of all | | | | called official could walk in and order you |
| this optimism, it is to be noted that drug | | | | to urinate in a vial without a specified |
| testing in the workplace was never accepted | | | | reason compounds the argument that this |
| by most communities as such in the | | | | whole practice is a violation of personal |
| beginning. | | | | privacy. |
| | | | |
| It is true that drug use by the employees | | | | Although drug testing the employees was |
| would lead to on-the-job accidents, | | | | considered impractical just a few months ago |
| absenteeism and employee theft and that | | | | due to its high costs, a new wave of |
| recurrent drug testing in the workplace | | | | practical and cheap drug tests flooding the |
| could potentially discourage the use of | | | | market has caused a phenomenon of sorts. It |
| drugs altogether. The major gripe of the | | | | is not just current employees who are |
| employees was that it was not just the | | | | subjected to drug testing in the workplace; |
| regular drug users and addicts that were | | | | prospective employees and job applicants are |
| being targeted. Drug testing proved a threat | | | | also put through a drug test before they |
| to the employment of people who used | | | | start off on the job. |
| recreational drugs occasionally. There were | | | | |
| fears of knee jerk dismissals of employees | | | | Today the hundreds of laws that exist that |
| that were highly productive and efficient | | | | govern the drug testing in the workplace, |
| for the simple reason that they indulged | | | | most only aid in furthering the confusion on |
| themselves in a rave so long back that they | | | | what is acceptable and what is not. To add |
| could not even remember. Drug testing was | | | | to the woes, most of these laws do not help |
| promoted as to being focused on counseling | | | | through the way they are stated to convince |
| and rehabilitating the employees that were | | | | the employees who are on the receiving end of |
| detected, but people perceived it as a threat | | | | these laws. Still, the practice continually |
| to their employment prospects. | | | | evolves in its execution to encompass more |
| | | | and more employees bringing the dream of a |
| Drug testing in the workplace was also being | | | | drug free workplace true - one employee at a |
| widely characterized as a blatant violation | | | | time. |
| of the privacy of an individual. Today, these | | | | |