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Workplace Drug Screening Paper

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Workplace Drug Screening Opinion Paper
Kimberlee MacKay
PSY 425
December 2, 2012
Dr. Lisa Pleszkoch

Workplace Drug Screening Opinion Paper
Looking for a new job may require more than just filling out and employment application these days. Many employers require the applicant to take a pre-employment drug test and to pass it before they consider offering the person a job. Drug testing does not stop there. Employers can set forth other testing for a variety of reasons such as, random testing, reasonable cause, post-accident, and treatment follow-up, to name a few. An employer needs to be able to offer employees a safe workplace with as little risk as possible. In 1991, “The National Institute on Drug Abuse reported that 68% of illicit drug users were employed” (2008, para. 2). This paper will focus on screening techniques, testing programs, and workplace prevention and education.
Drug Screening Tests
No test method is 100% accurate. The employer must find a reliable laboratory for testing, which meets all federal and state guidelines. Costs can vary depending on the type of testing method used. Obtaining a specimen requires a trained professional and should protect the person’s right to confidentiality and privacy.
Urine Test
This is also known as a urinalysis and requires the person to submit a urine specimen. “A test card can give immediate results or the specimen is sent out to a lab to undergo gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GCMS)” (About Drug Testing, n.d. para. 12). In the United States, many people try to alter the results by using a substitution or by adulteration (About Drug Testing, n.d.) The internet has help individuals buy synthetic urine or drug-free urine. Some people may even drink a large amount of water before submitting to the test. However, trained professionals can usually detect this by the color and smell of the urine specimen.

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