drug testing

[tomlinsk]

Right up front, I am not in the military -- I am a reporter for CTV. 
I registered on the site so I could ask anyone who wants to give their opinion -- one way or the other -- anonymously or not -- on the "safety senstive drug testing" that's now being done on all CF members who are getting ready to be deployed to Afghanistan in February.  Totally open ended -- I'm looking to find out what CF members think of this, and what, if any, their experience has been.
Any and all info is much appreciated.

 

[KevinB]

I think it should be mandatory CF wide - and not just for deployments.
  * I am no longer in the CF

 

[17thRecceSgt]

I think it should be mandatory CF wide - and not just for deployments.

+1

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

Agreed....those that hold sensitive positions or have Top Secret or above security clearances should have it more frequently as well.

 

[civyinstructor]

I agee that all CF Members should be Drug Tested periodically, however its hard to test for all the Drugs that are out there.Also remember the cost that would be associated with the tests.

 

[KevinB]

Also remember the cost that would be associated with the tests.

Cost of doing business as a professional force

 

[PhilB]

I agree, as professional soldiers we should have nothing to worry about from these tests. Those that are worried well.. maybe they have a reason. If they continually screen professional athletes why not professional soldiers

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

Tomlinsk,
Welcome to army.ca and thank you for being up-front with your profession. You may find there are members who are not media-friendly but many have been burned before and are still wary of the press.
Bruce

 

[Slim]

Tomlinsk,
Welcome to army.ca and thank you for being up-front with your profession. You may find there are members who are not media-friendly but many have been burned before and are still wary of the press.
Bruce

I will add my welcome to that of Bruce's.

Being up front about who and what you are has bought you some credability. Its a good way to do business here and will, for the most part, get you the results you're looking for. Please remember that not all may wish to speak to you...So if you get a less than polite comment let the mods know instead of dealing with it on your own, and try to understand that not everyone in your profession has respected our collective (and in some cases singular) rights to date.

Again welcome to the forum.

Slim
STAFF

 

[043]

Welcome!

Drug testing needs to be done...........it needs to be done without letting people know that it is coming. You can't test one part of a Battle Group and then test another group 2 months later. You will have remarkably clean results on the second.

My 2 cents!

 

[Trooper Hale]

Dead right, i know our Army has an absolute zero tolerance of drug use, but then Australia is a different country to Canada and drugs are harder to come by. I hope he doesn't mind me para-phrasing him but the best line I've ever heard on the subject is that of CWO Levesque saying (Again, not his exact words) 'If your job is that bad that you have to resort to using drugs then you need to get out of here and i can do that'. Those who use are letting down not only themselves but their workmates and so i completely agree with random drug tests to weed out those that do it.
Those that get caught must be punished though, its no good giving someone testing positive to cocaine 12 extras or something ridiculous like that, they need to get the arse and get a new job.
I know over here a couple of months ago a group of men were discharged after testing positive for dope in a random drug test.
We need to enforce the rules and need to get those who dont deserve to do this job out of there.

 

[1feral1]

I agee that all CF Members should be Drug Tested periodically, however its hard to test for all the Drugs that are out there.Also remember the cost that would be associated with the tests.

As a former member of the CF, now serving with the Australian Army, my beliefs are simple.

No drugs period. Zero tollerance period. Discipline by example, and random trug testing (all ranks) without warning.

Weed out the weak. No excuses, no exceptions.


Cheers from Baghdad,

Wes

 

[Sig_Des]

As a former member of the CF, now serving with the Australian Army, my beliefs are simple.

No drugs period. Zero tolerance period. Discipline by example, and random trug testing (all ranks) without warning.

Weed out the weak. No excuses, no exceptions.

I agree completely with Wes. And most certainly with Ex-Dragoon. People in sensitive positions or requiring high level security clearances should be randomly tested, at frequent intervals.

I know that as a Sig Op, losing my sec clearance would make me unsuitable for employment, and that's a hell of a motivation to stay away from the reality-killers.

Drugs are a problem that are rampant in our society, and sadly, milder drug use is becoming much more and more expected. It disturbs me if I'm at a party, and people start to smoke up. I'll leave. But if I see or hear of CF members using it, that truly disgusts me.

Zero tolerance.

 

[GAP]

to give their opinion -- one way or the other -- anonymously or not -- on the "safety sensitive drug testing" that's now being done on all CF members who are getting ready to be deployed to Afghanistan in February.  Totally open ended -- I'm looking to find out what CF members think of this, and what, if any, their experience has been.

Why test them before they go over...it's much more expensive to transport it over to there. 10 ft high marijuana plants and fields of poppys. A druggie's dreamworld. Test them incountry.

 

[niner domestic]

Tomlinsk:

While I can appreciate your curiousity as to what current and former CF members think about "safety sensitive drug testing" (and you should include alcohol in that phrase)the whole matter of whether it's right has been established in a legal framework by the Supreme Court of Canada in Meiorin, the Ontario C of A in Entrop and the CHRC in 2002, as an acceptable means to ensure safety and fitness for duty (with appropriate provisions to ensure that there are no systemic or inherent biases that would set a particular group aside.)  In other words, this particular subject is a done deal and been done to the level of the SCC ( and I'm a firm believer that if the SCC says it's so, then it's so) and there is little if any, room now for debate on whether it should be done or not.  I'm not sure how interested your readership is going to be in the subject unless you are looking for objectionable stances from CF members as was seen in earlier years with respect to immunization for Anthrax etc.  Perhaps you'd like to share what perspective you are going to take on your article/report/sound byte. 

Now to be fair, this legal framework only speaks to one area of employer focused drug and alcohol testing, there are some minor exceptions such as cross border trucking and the framework does not give a carte blanc for employer to conduct random substance abuse testing without a BFOR, nor have the courts have to deal with the legal question of reasonable cause or post incident drug and alcohol testing. So the question then becomes, as many on this board have already indicated they would support, whether there should be mandatory drug and alcohol testing across the board in the CF.  That is an area that has yet to be tread by the courts and HR Commissions. 

 

[tomlinsk]

Thank you all for your responses so far.  To answer the last question -- I am simply doing some research after learning that the group of approx. 2000 CF members who are now slated for overseas deployment in February are currently all being tested.  I'm told this was Gen. Hillier's initiative (from November, 2005) and this is the first time the new testing protocol is being implemented ("safety sensitive drug testing"). 
I'm also interested in what the results of those test might be.
I don't know if and when we would do a story, I'm just trying to educate myself on the issue for if and when we do.
Again, any of your thoughts -- on testing, results, and/or implications (good or bad) are very much appreciated.

 

[Canadian Sig]

100% support for testing and I also think it should be random and widespread. In trades like mine that req level 3 clearances or have access to sensitive info/ kit should be tested at any time not just in prep for a roto. Follow the rules and have no fear.

 

[Boxkicker]

Bring on the testing it should be mandatory for all.

 

[Gunner]

Count me with those supporting mandatory drug testing.  It has been a very long time coming and should have been instituted back in the 80s when it was first looked at.  Weapons, Heavy Machinery and drugs do not work well together.

 

[ERIK2RCR]

That was the first test in the CF i was 100% sure i passed, however, it seems some people must have misplaced their question bank prior to studying.  :-X