Hi, i’ve done my searches on google & on this forum, it seems that the discussion quickly turns into a debate on whether or not drug testing is appropriate. Some people claim they never get tested, or only if there’s an incident, others say it’s a regular thing for them.
I guess my questions are, firstly, should I expect a drug test at my medical? And secondly, should I expect one working class 2 jobs?
For those wondering, I smoke cannabis on the evenings, it stays in the system for a long time even though the effects have long gone - it would be a task in itself for me to abstain from this ritual, so I thought i’d get a clearer idea on the whole drug test thing.
I won’t go into the legalities of it all as I’m sure you know, just remember that unlike in a car where you may lose your licence for a year or two. If you get caught in a HGV it is much more likely to be jail time, or at very least the TC will take your vocational licence off you and will be inclined never to give you it back.
No drugs test at the medical for your licence, you pee in a bottle and they test it for a couple of things like diabetes, but not drugs.
Depends on the company when it comes to drugs tests. I would imagine most of the big boys have some form of alcohol and drugs testing or at least a policy. Some places (very few) will do a medical before you start that may include a drugs test (my last place did).
If you are offered a job it should be written down somewhere that the company conducts the tests, either in your contract or a handbook etc. I wouldn’t ask about them at your interview though, I doubt you will get a call back if you do.
Above answer seems to cover it well.
Link to Indeed site about DHL. indeed.co.uk/cmp/DHL/faq/wh … hm6akgodh2
Drug test at interview, zero tolerance there it seems. DHL are one of the companies often suggested for new passes.
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Sanity:
Hi, i’ve done my searches on google & on this forum, it seems that the discussion quickly turns into a debate on whether or not drug testing is appropriate. Some people claim they never get tested, or only if there’s an incident, others say it’s a regular thing for them.
I guess my questions are, firstly, should I expect a drug test at my medical? And secondly, should I expect one working class 2 jobs?
For those wondering, I smoke cannabis on the evenings, it stays in the system for a long time even though the effects have long gone - it would be a task in itself for me to abstain from this ritual, so I thought i’d get a clearer idea on the whole drug test thing.
If you want to be/remain a proffesional driver, then you have to be proffesional, this means not taking drugs or drinking irresponsibly, its your license, you decide.
Sanity:
Hi, i’ve done my searches on google & on this forum, it seems that the discussion quickly turns into a debate on whether or not drug testing is appropriate. Some people claim they never get tested, or only if there’s an incident, others say it’s a regular thing for them.
I guess my questions are, firstly, should I expect a drug test at my medical? And secondly, should I expect one working class 2 jobs?
For those wondering, I smoke cannabis on the evenings, it stays in the system for a long time even though the effects have long gone - it would be a task in itself for me to abstain from this ritual, so I thought i’d get a clearer idea on the whole drug test thing.
You won’t get any sort of drug tests at the medical , it’s basically a doctor asking you about health conditions , if your on any repeat medication etc . As for getting them while your working I guess it would depend on your employer .
Some companies will, others won’t…in my short experience the better companies will (play by their rules, blah, blah, blah).
I’m going to be honest your best bet is to pack it in and have the odd puff when you’ve a bit of holiday booked at special occasions. I know you think you can’t do it but if you want to drive for a living, give it up for the week or two you do your training and then go back to smoking but try and keep it till the weekend (or at least reduce it).
I was a ■■■■■■■■ weed smoker and I’d not change my years in my 20’s and beyond, but now I’d also not go back to that lifestyle. Can’t put my finger on when I stopped (as hinted above I may not decline if something is going around) but I can honestly say I don’t miss it, maybe having kids helps.
On a side note I wish I could quit smoking tobacco as easy though, still get through a couple of 20 decks a week!
I worked for a company once where there was allegedly random drug testing, it had been brought in as a result of a complaint from one of the drivers that the two second-men on the job (it was kerbside recycling) were constantly smoking cannabis while at work - they were, I saw this myself. It was actually quite rare for anyone to get tested, basically the company were scraping near the bottom of the barrel to get guys who would stick at the job so I think they brought it in just to keep this one driver happy (which was an impossible task under any circumstances )
As for drivers, cannabis is probably the worst recreational drug of choice as it is detectable in the body for up to 30 days when it is used regularly, whereas the more serious Class A drugs tend to range from 1 to 3 days detection post-use.
Basically it comes down to what happens when soft stuff hits the fan: sure you can probably be a safe driver during the day even if you have one or two spliffs per night, but in the event of a serious accident, and most definitely when there is a fatality, the authorities, courts and insurance companies are going to use this against you.
I personally would find it hard to object to properly randomized drug test if it was a decent job because I would expect pay and conditions to be better than average to compensate for the intrusion and insult of drug testing, but if it was just your typical rubbish job for average money I would probably walk purely on principle.
Hi Sanity…i would say you have lost yours completely, take a trip down the local MOURGE ,you may change but i doubt it,
your a wined-up… you should never be near trucks…
Hi Sanity. Interesting that you are wondering about being drug tested when you’ve got a job. And yet you haven’t considered the very real chance of being drug tested by your trainer? In our case, if we suspect drink or drugs and a test is positive, the candidate is sent away and no fees refunded. Examiners will terminate the test on the suspicion of drugs or alcohol.
I really hope you either give up drugs or give up any thought of driving trucks.
Dont even think about. My brother was into cannabis. He applied for a Graduate management job with one of the bus companies. He got the job despite telling him to stop his habit he carried on. The day he started he was sent in for a drug test and failed he was sacked straight away. He was gutted. It forced him to stop and focus.
If you have an accident, regardless of blame…
If someone is seriously hurt or killed and you test positive for any drug you are not prescribed (in a lorry or even your own personal car)…You could be looking at serious jail time.
Is it worth it?? If you want to smoke…don’t drive.
Simple as that if you ask me i’m afraid.
Sanity:
I guess my questions are, firstly, should I expect a drug test at my medical? And secondly, should I expect one working class 2 jobs?
No
Yes, more and more likely now.
You forgot that police have roadside tests and if caught you’ll get a ban (likely) and a DD10 on your licence for 5 years and have to declare it for 10 years.
With a DD or DR you have pretty much zero chance of getting remotely close to a truck. Plus car insurance will be insane.
With a DD/DR you often have to attend a traffic commissioner enquiry and they decide when / if you can have the HGV licence back.
Oh and have an accident when the police test you, you won’t hit the floor before anding uo in court.
Basically, carry on and don’t bother driving either a car or truck. Your choice.
The urine test for glucose is no longer indicated on the D4 form. There have been reports on the forums of doctors entering on the form that a test has been refused or putting down results in the notes section, that kind of thing.
Spoken like a true pothead Sanity - as im sure you have guaged from the replies below to avoid driving if that is what you do regularly and certainly don’t go near any type of vehicle. You can also be prosecuted for riding a pedal cycle under the influence of drugs also! So, stick to walking for all our benefits.
Routine blood tests at your GP will also show it, the result of which is likely shared with the DVLA or held on file and if your involved in anything, they can obtain your medical history including test results if it is relavant.
THC’s that are the ‘high’ in cannabis which stays in your saliva for several days = positive test, so if you stop use for 7 days it is still present in your system. If an officer suspects you have been using drugs you will be tested and blood taken. I can tell you that in my drug screening, they take a sample of your hair for analysis, it can be leave a trace for 3-5 years from that alone!
Just don’t tell anyone about it and crack on the anti drug brigade will always put a downer on things and they probably sink 4 pints every night then jump behind the wheel the following morning, I smell it quite often when parked up an know loads of ppl who toke regularly on the wagons , people are doing way worse like sniffing lines and going out on the sesh look how busy the stockyard is every night and then empty carpark at 5 the next morning still tanked up from the night before
Caerleon:
Spoken like a true pothead Sanity - as im sure you have guaged from the replies below to avoid driving if that is what you do regularly and certainly don’t go near any type of vehicle. You can also be prosecuted for riding a pedal cycle under the influence of drugs also! So, stick to walking for all our benefits.
Routine blood tests at your GP will also show it, the result of which is likely shared with the DVLA or held on file and if your involved in anything, they can obtain your medical history including test results if it is relavant.
THC’s that are the ‘high’ in cannabis which stays in your saliva for several days = positive test, so if you stop use for 7 days it is still present in your system. If an officer suspects you have been using drugs you will be tested and blood taken. I can tell you that in my drug screening, they take a sample of your hair for analysis, it can be leave a trace for 3-5 years from that alone!
While I would never advocate driving under the influence, what benefit exactly does a hair follicle test have if it shows traces of weed from 5 years ago? Seems it serves no purpose that a saliva, urine or even blood test doesn’t already.
Hair tests from what I’ve heard are used to test how often you take certain drugs rather than prove whether you are under the influence at the time.
5 years would likely be pushing it, unless you have very long hair, but if there was a large amount it would indicate a long term user and might have a different effect on continued employment.
Anyone who wants to crackon and drive under it, we can’t do anything about it, but it’ll mean more jobs for proper drivers when they get caught, banned, TC takes licence permanently and possibly gets free meals for a long time from HM. Just hope they dont hurt any innocent 3rd parties in the process.
If ever there was a prime example of why one should avoid the cack, the OP is that example.
Just sit back if you get a lucid moment and see if your question makes any sense at all.
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