How do you deal with employment drug testing?

[igor.balognapants]

This is part looking for advice and part rant.

I was given a tentative job offer, failed the drug test, and wasn't hired.

During the entire pre-employment process I was unsure of how to deal with the whole medical cannabis thing. There were multiple times when wondered whether I should disclose my medical cannabis status (during the interview, the standard "I consent to drug testing" form I signed, the online "integrity test" where they asked multiple times about my use of "illegal drugs"), but I didn't because I didn't think I should have to disclose my illnesses and medications. I was also hoping that there wouldn't be a drug test, or that by some miracle it would be negative, and I wouldn't have to deal with it. Now I wonder if I was wrong, and I should have disclosed ahead of time.

All of the onboarding paperwork I signed indicated that in the event of a positive test result, I would meet with a "medical review officer" who would hear my explanations and decide if they were valid, and if so the company would act like I had passed the drug test. Of course, in New Mexico there are absolutely no legal protections for medical cannabis and employment, so I would be entirely at their mercy, but I thought there was a chance they would be reasonable. But it's a moot point, such a meeting never happened. They just flat-out said no, and it was clear that they simply want no more to do with me whatsoever. When I told whatever random person called me on the phone (because I couldn't talk to anyone else) that I have a medical cannabis card, they just kept saying that their company follows federal law. How can I argue with that? I'm pretty sure I can't.

It kind of seems to me like I should be able to demand a meeting with a medical review officer, since I signed papers to that effect. But I don't know if that's possible or how I would go about doing that, especially since they want nothing to do with me now.

Yes, I know that the best way to pass a drug test is to not use drugs. I feel like a complete idiot for not being able to pass a drug test, especially the pre-employment type that you usually know is coming. I haven't looked for a job in a while, and I didn't realize how common pre-employment drug testing is. I didn't realize there would likely be a drug test until a week ahead of time. I did stop using mmj for that time, but it clearly wasn't enough. It stays in your system for so long. What other prescription medication do people expect you to just stop using for 1-2 months just to get a job?

I even considered trying to cheat on the test, but I decided it was better to be honest. Shows what I know.

This is so frustrating. I read that 84% of employers do pre-employment drug tests, and 40% do random drug tests. Medical cannabis has helped my IBD so more than any of the traditional medications I have had. The whole point of it, for me, is to feel not-sick enough to be able to function and do things like have a job, but it seems impossible. It seems like my choice is between being employed and sick, or unemployed and well.

Have any of you ever encountered these problems? What did you do?

 

[mawg]

Yes, same problems similar results. It depends on so many factors, like what % CBD and THC, how much are you using, how you take it and what kind of test. For instance if you're ingesting the THC metabolites will stay in your system much longer than if your smoking or vaping. I'm going to assume it's a urine test, witch are typically 50ng/ml or 15ng/ml. You may try a very low THC level,<2%,high CBD% and pass the 50 ng/ml test. But some find that this ratio doesn't work as well and need high levels both CBD and THC. In that case you have no options but abstinence if you want to pass without cheating. You can buy test kits for both levels at www.utestdrugtesting.com for way cheaper then the local head shop and test yourself. hope this helps. Pete