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From: pete@valid.UUCP (Pete Zakel)
Newsgroups: net.followup
Subject: Re: Discussion of Drug Testing
Message-ID: <693@valid.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 8-Oct-86 18:22:16 EDT
Article-I.D.: valid.693
Posted: Wed Oct  8 18:22:16 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 11-Oct-86 02:26:56 EDT
References: <119@akgud.UUCP> <7300005@uiucdcsp>
Organization: Valid Logic, San Jose, CA
Lines: 21

Another problem with false positive rates in drug testing is that the rate of
false positives normally given is for when the test is done under ideal
conditions.  False positive rates may be much higher during one series of tests
than during another.  Many factors contribute to false positives (and false
negatives for that matter): sloppiness, contamination of equipment, degradation
of reagents, etc., etc.

There is also the problem of separating people who use drugs and do NOT have a
problem with their work and people who use drugs and DO have a problem with
their work.  I've known some people who could do better work completely zoned
out than their colleagues who were completely straight.  And do you fire your
most productive employee simply because s/he likes to smoke pot on Saturday
nights?

I feel that a person's job performance should be based on that person's job
performance.  If a person cannot perform his/her job properly, whether or not
s/he uses drugs, s/he should be let go.  If a person performs his/her job
properly, whether or not s/he uses drugs, s/he should be allowed to keep that
job.
-- 
-Pete Zakel (..!{hplabs,?}!ridge!valid!pete) (member of HASA)