EAST RIDING: CAMPAIGNER CRITICISES WORKPLACE TESTING PLAN

DRUG SCREENING 'INVADES PRIVACY'

The chairman of the Hull and East Riding Legalise Cannabis Alliance today warned against launching a major new work-place drugs policy in the county.

Carl Wagner, of Ella Street, West Hull, is urging East Riding councillors not to rubber stamp plans to randomly test hundreds of frontline staff who work for the local authority - as well as thousands of others whose performance "may be impaired by drugs or alcohol."

Personell officer Zoe Martin said a workplace drugs policy, which would affect more than 15,000 employees, has been agreed in principle but has yet to be voted on by members and implemented.

The move would be a first for East Riding Council, the country's largest unitary authority. Chief executive Darryl Stephenson and all 66 councillors could be amongst those tested under the system.

Council leaders claim the controversial measure would be a safety net for the public.

But Mr Wagner said evidence provided by drug tests was unreliable and could have serious consequences for workers and their families.

Mr Wagner said: Drug testing in the workplace is a sinister extension to the misguided 'war on drugs', and represents a gross invasion of an individual's privacy.

"Whether or not drug use impacts on workplace performance, drug testing is a poor solution because drug tests do not measure impairment.

"Rather than looking for drugs, drug tests look for metabolites - by-products which are excreted from the body hours, days or even weeks after a drug was ingested. As a result, drug tests mainly identify drug users who may have used a drug at the weekend, but are not under the influence of a drug when at work or when tested.

"Workplace drug testing is an expensive and demeaning method of surveillance rather than a safety net for workers or the public, and the profiteers will be the usual suspects - the lawyers, the drug testing industry, and the ever increasing drug enforcement agencies who's pay and advancement depend on getting more and more people into treatment."

"I hope those councillors who can think of better ways to spend tax payers money have the courage to oppose this tyranny."

But Councillor Symon Fraser, joint chairman of the council's reduced crime review and scrutiny commitee, said the move was not "a draconian attitude towards people."

Councillor Fraser, who represents the Driffield and Rural ward, said: "Our main concern is where someones performance could pose a risk to the public."

Councillor Bob Tress, who represents South Hunsley ward said: This is an important safety net for workers and the public."

A spokesman for East Riding Council said: "The Government has requested that all large organisations have procedures in place for drug and alcohol testing. So far, no policy for this has been agreed by the council."