The difference between a drug charge and a DUI

z987k said:
Failing pre-employment drug test shows you're pretty damn stupid to. You know you have to take it, it's not like it's random and you might not get selected. It's a 100%, you will have a drug test and you chose to do drugs anyways.

Ya, find a new career.


Just PRIA assuming you were not on duty/operating.
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It got reported and he had his first class medical yanked. He had to fight to keep his third class medical. I recommended a good lawyer to him, but in his case I think there was only so much that could be done. I'm bummed for him. His parents invested a lot in his career (not to mention his own hard work). He had an exemplary record otherwise. No check ride busts, no criminal record, good grades, etc. Apparently he thought that 6 weeks would be enough time to detox his body to pass a drug test. And obviously, he was wrong. And I have to say, maybe it's for the best.

And I'll be honest, I think recreational marijuana use should be legalized. Or at the very least, decriminalized. I personally have no desire to smoke, but I think it is a shame to incarcerate and ruin young people's lives over it. But that really isn't the point of this story. The point is, drug use is willfully disobeying laws. Therefore, don't do it. Whether or not you agree with it or not doesn't matter.
 
But it's not legal.

And people using old wives tales from the internet about "detoxifying" aren't thinking right.

If you really want to fly jets, just don't smoke the dope. That's your safest bet.

I think we need a tied speeding limit based upon car type, tire condition, road conditions and drivers training. But we don't. So I'm not doing to drive 110 mph in the 335 down the 101.

I had a great friend who was one of my students that smoked a little weed during the summer before he started ground school at a regional. Busted. Bam. Out. Done. Now he's selling real estate in the Bay Area.

He's a good guy but made some idiotic decisions. Willfully.
 
I know a guy who busted a random test, lost his job, went through the program, got everything back and was hired somewhere else. It's not the end of the road but it sure as hell won't help your career.
 
Derg said:
I think we need a tied speeding limit based upon car type, tire condition, road conditions and drivers training. But we don't. So I'm not doing to drive 110 mph in the 335 down the 101.
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150+ or you're not trying hard enough!
 
chrisreedrules said:
Apparently he thought that 6 weeks would be enough time to detox his body to pass a drug test.
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Urine testing should have been clean. This tells me he used a lot closer to his job start date or he is a heavy user.

Wiki said:
Under the typical 50 ng/mL cutoff for THC in the United States, an occasional or on-off user would be very unlikely to test positive beyond 3–4 days since the last use, and a chronic user would be unlikely to test positive much beyond 7 days. Using a more sensitive cutoff of 20 ng/mL (less common but still used by some labs), the most likely maximum times are 7 days and 21 days, respectively. In extraordinary circumstances of extended marijuana use, detection times of more than 30 days are possible in some individuals at the 20 ng/mL cutoff.
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This thread goes a long way to show how unprogressive this countries society is.

Pissing dirty/DUI should be on the same level. BOTH show a willful disregard for the law. Both should be treated equally. Both should carry stiff consequences. Neither should be a career ender, once. Habitual offense of either should be though. Get popped for a DUI/dirty test once, here's your sentence (HIMS, 6 months off work, continuing testing for a predetermined amount of time, more frequent randoms). Offend twice, buh bye. Surrender your certificates, and no more flying, professionally or otherwise for you.

Let me pose this scenario to you. You head out to a BBQ with some friends. One of the guys wives shows up with brownies. She uses medicinally. She brings the wrong batch.

"Mmmm, yummy brownies! These brownies make me feel funny."

So what do you do now? Don't start with the obvious "you need different friends." What do you do about work? Call in sick? Risk a dirty test? Tell the Chief Pilot? Tell the union?

Edit to add: I think it's important to mention, I haven't attended any barbecues recently, not have I had any brownies.
 
We can "what if" the hell out of this thread.........but my answer to your scenario is this:

Get a signed and notarized affidavit from your friend stating her mistake, along with a letter from her doctor stating her medicinal need.
Then, talk to your union first, then follow their lead. But ABSOLUTELY report it. Unless you happen to have about 6 weeks of vacation you can use.

If your friend's wife isn't willing to provide you with the paperwork you need, then it just boils down to one, and only one thing; you need different friends.
 
Personally, I'd call my union for starters. I know if I go on duty and undergo a random test, I'm hosed so clearly I'm not going to work for the duration of THC being traceable in my system and follow their, the companies and any legal counsel's directions to a tee.

I would have my friends ass. I would! If the person knew there was a massive peanut allergy in my home and "Oops" brought the wrong brownies that had a previously known amount of peanuts, I certainly wouldn't be thinking "Oh, oops! LOL! Stuff happens!" as I'm rushing for the epi-pen. Friends don't risk friends professional professional credibility or career.

Ultimately, responsibility trumps circumstance. The person who made the brownies knew that not everyone is a "medicinal" marijuana user, the person who ate the brownies probably knew that the brownies were baked by someone that uses, etc. At some point the buck has to stop somewhere.

On the original post, I have trouble feeling sorry for a pilot who "thought" it would be out of his system because he knows damned well he wasn't supposed to be doing it in the first place. At some point you have to take responsibility and ask yourself, "Self? Do I like flying jets more than hanging out with a bunch of skateboarders smoking pot?"
 
So then what happens once the union and company find out? Are you entered into the HIMS program? You obviously don't have a substance abuse problem.
 
mshunter said:
So then what happens once the union and company find out? Are you entered into the HIMS program? You obviously don't have a substance abuse problem.
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I have no idea because we're talking hypotheticals. But that friend has pretty much wrecked your life for the near future but you will recover.

Maybe they'll give you unpaid leave for a period of time to clean up, I don't know.
 
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