Drug Testing : A Drug Test

Smoking of marijuana can cause the person to become addicted to cocaine, heroin, and other drugs. Heavy or daily use effects the parts that control memory, attention, and learning (Facts for Teens, 13). When teens are 12 and 13 they are more exposed to drugs and most likely don’t listen to their parents (Age in Stem., 1). Some other psychological side effects would be paranoia, anxiety, fatigue, Euphoria, and mood swings (Fact Sheet, 1). Studies have shown that when a person uses marijuana it causes the heart to beat faster and work harder (Fact Sheet, 2). When people have smoked large measures of marijuana for years, the drugs takes its charge on mental functions (Facts for Teens, 13).

How many people have had an interview for a job, received a call that they were hired, and then heard their future employer say that they will have to do a drug test before they can start this new job? “Although many people think that illegal drugs such as marijuana, heroin, cocaine and other street drugs became a problem for youth in the 1960’s the truth of the matter is that there has always been a drug problem in the United States when it comes to substance abuse”(testcountry.org). This past summer I had an interview at Russel Stover Candies, when they called to tell me that the position was mine, they then informed me that I would have to pass a drug test before I could officially have the job. Although some jobs and people believe that drug testing in the workplace should take place, many people do not believe in drug testing. Opponents of WDT (Workplace drug testing) argue that the process of drug testing amounts to an unwarranted invasion of a person’s private life and their body. Some people believe that the statement “free consent” is impossible to obtain. Drug testing did not come into play in the United States until the late 1980’s as a part of the Reagan administration. Before that, there was no standard way for jobs, schools, and even sports to drug test employees, students, or athletes. People that had jobs working with heavy machinery or people that worked in the Department of Transportation were mainly the ones getting drug tested. The issues with drug

The issue of drug testing in the workplace has sparked an ongoing debate among management. There are many who feel that it is essential to prevent risks to the greater public caused by substance abuse while on the job. However, others believe that the costs far outweigh the benefits and that it is an invasion of privacy. Putting all ethical issues aside, evidence presented in this paper supports the latter. The costs of drug testing are excessive and only a small percentage of employees are actually found to be substance users. Drug testing in the work place has a negative effect on productivity; contrary to what was originally intended. It actually decreases productivity

Drug testing in the workplace has become a controversial issue, with many believing that the act of drug testing employees is an invasion of privacy and an infringement upon rights. As more and more states legalize Marijuana there is debate whether employees can still be fired for having this “drug” in their system even though the state government, not federal, has allowed the recreational use of the drug. The “War on Drugs” significantly impacted the way employers, and employees alike perceived drug abuse and created a strong push for law enforcement to crack down on drug users. Troops returning from the Vietnam War who used Heroin also had a large impact on the drug testing protocols we see today. This paper will examine the history of drug testing, explore how testing is affected by legalized Marijuana, explore both the affirmation and the opposition to drug testing in the workplace, and conclude with recommendations for possible changes.

Marijuana is a mixture of the dried parts of the cannabis sativa hemp plant. Excessive marijuana use can lead to an addiction. The main chemical in marijuana is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which moves quickly through the bloodstream and to the brain, causing mild hallucinogenic effects. THC binds with cannabdnob receptors and activates neurons, which causes adverse effects on the mind and body. THC can mimic or block actions of neurotransmitters and interfere with normal functions. Marijuana use can lead to disturbed thoughts and can worsen psychotic symptoms. The short-term effects of marijuana include impaired coordination; skewed sensory and time perception; difficulty with thinking; shortened attention span and distractibility; impaired learning and memory. Long term users of marijuana often experience lowered motivation and some can experience anxiety, panic attacks, respiratory illness, and increased heart rate and risk of heart attack.

Although marijuana is a hallucinogen it does not have a highly addictive characteristic like other hallucinogens. In 2004 the National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that its short term effects include, but are not limited to: blood shot eyes, dry mouth and increased heart rate. Its long term effects include, but are not limited to: lower testosterone levels in men, and higher testosterone levels in women. When you compare this to other drug’s side affects you see that they are not so bad.

Many employees feel that drug testing is unfair. Workers should be able to come to work and not have to worry about being asked to consent to a drug test. As long as employees are doing their job and as long as they are productive, there is no reason for drug testing. Employees feel that whatever they take, smoke, or inject is no business of the company.

Possibility of addiction is only one of the disadvantages on Marijuana. There are short-term and long-term effects from the use of the drug. The most common short-term effects include paranoia, difficulty with concentration, anxiety, fatigue, and hallucinations. “If you’re not around good people, you will end up having a bad experience and be very paranoid and anxious.” (Daily User One, 2017) This person said that the people you are around and your surroundings in general can also alter how you react to the THC in your system. Other short-term effects that are more dangerous include increased heart rate (which is particularly dangerous to people with heart disease), decreased blood pressure, and damaged blood vessels caused by the smoke. The long-term effects include memory loss, IQ level (due to blood cell lose from smoking), decreased motivation, and ability

Cannabis has copious amounts of effects on your body and brain. The effects range from bad all the way to good. Negative effects of cannabis may include anxiety, paranoia, and lowered reaction time, increased heart rate, distorted sense of time, and in some cases, psychosis. Cannabis does have positive effects for people with illnesses including cancer, multiple sclerosis, and many more. For teens, however, there is an increase of cannabis’ negative effects on the brain. This may include decreased brain activity, decreased neurons, trouble thinking and focusing, and a higher rate of dropping out of high school. Chronic users of cannabis may become dependent on it. It can also increase your rate of respiratory problems,

They are five times more likely to steal than those who do not use the drug. Some believe marijuana is a gate way drug that can lead users to consume stronger drugs to achieve the same high once marijuana no longer “works.” Cannabis has its effects both short and long term. Short term effects are loss of coordination and distortions in the sense of time, vision and hearing, sleepiness, reddening of the eyes, increase appetite and relaxed muscles. When these areas of the brain are disturbed, the user has a harder time walking and talking correctly, becoming quite clumsy. It also impacts their ability to drive which is why states like Florida, have not made the drug legal due to the fact they fear more automobile accidents. Heart rate can speed up. In fact, in the first four hours of smoking marijuana, a user’s risk of a heart attack could increase by five times. School performance is reduced through impaired memory and lessened ability to solve problems. The active ingredients in marijuana act in the part of the brain called the Hippocampus to alter the way the information is processed and how memories are formed. This blockage of memory formation can cause cognitive impairment in adulthood if use happens during adolescence. When young people start using marijuana regularly, they often lose interest and are not motivated to do their school work. Heavy pot smokers in studies scored lower than non-users on tests of memory, attention, and learning. The more they smoked the worse they did. Brain image scans of heavy marijuana smokers have revealed changes in blood flow to parts of the brain involved in memory or attention. Researches have also noted differences in the size and shape of the Thalamus, the part of the brain that’s

Thesis statement: Administering a drug and alcohol policy can be challenging, but it can also be beneficial to the manufacturing company.

In order to keep organization ethical as it relates to drug testing, the U.S. Supreme Court has approved four methods for drug testing. The organization can request a blood, breath, hair, or urine tests. These tests will not harm the job candidate or employee. The company will send the job candidate or employee to an off-site medical

According to Joseph Desjardins and Ronald Duska’s Drug Testing in Employment, administering a drug test before and during employment may be popular but is mostly unnecessary and a

Along with "getting high" from smoking marijuana, there are many problems that can occur both physically and mentally. Immediate effects hold a wide range of symptoms. Users suffer many symptoms from increased heart rates, nausea, and headaches, to agitation, dizziness, confusion, and paranoia. Respiratory problems are more likely to occur, such as asthma and lung cancer. Smokers might experience panic attacks, difficulty with short term memory, feeling clumsy, and being uncoordinated. Other kinds of effects are seen in being withdrawn from society and peer groups. Lack of enthusiasm in life can become a problem for the user in quitting. Severe mental disorders and psychosis may also be seen later in life. The one symptom that

Just as any other drug, marijuana has negative effects on the human body. Scientific studies prove “drugs harm the brain, the respiratory system, and other body systems” (ABC-CLIO’s Argument Against Legalizing Marijuana). There is a stigma around marijuana consumption, that being its correlation to cancer. Due to the “high levels of hydrocarbons” in the chemical makeup of this drug, scientists have concluded that “it may be more harmful to the lungs than smoking tobacco”(ABC-CLIO’s Marijuana). Users have a higher possibility of getting a heart attack since the risks quadruple once the drug is taken. Its dangerous side effects include misjudgment and loss of coordination, this leads to ignorant actions and