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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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East Riding Council agree Alcohol & Drug tests for Employees / Councillors
Don Barnard LCA Press Release
Sunday 26 Jan 2003 QUESTION: WILL ALL LOCAL AUTHORITIES EMULATE THIS? OVERVIEW: 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...." A spokesman for East Riding Council said: "The Government has requested that all large organisations have procedures in place for drug and alcohol testing....." [Source: !Drug screening 'invades privacy' Hull Daily Mail Wednesday 01 Jan 2003] Full report and local LCA comment at http://www.lca-uk.org/displayitem.php?articleid=782 Alcohol and drug in testing of employees and universal drug testing in the Criminal Justice System AND elsewhere. suggests there has been switch from the seeking out the dealer to the user [SEE 1] ! THE question of impairment through taking cannabis (or indeed any drug) is far from clear-cut ...because the presence of a drug metabolites in the biological body fluids says nothing about the competence of an individual, whether at work, school or behind the wheel of a car. Comment for publication: LCA Spokesperson Don Barnard said: "The practice of random drug testing is contrary to human rights, a gross infringement of privacy....Surely, what a person does at a weekend has nothing to do with the employer so long as it does not affect a persons performance at work." "How many people will have change plans, shelved ambitions, or lose jobs and/or suffer deprivation because of the the loss of Civil Liberties - Smacks of a totalitarian state to me? NOTE: Contact For a "Expert Opinion" on Human Rights: Roger Warren Evans Barrister and Secretary of the Socialist Civil Liberties Association. [SEE 2] Media contact for Roger Warren Evans: 07968 177564 E-mail Address: rwevans1@netcomuk.co.uk Don said "Drug tests fail on their own terms their greatest shortcoming is their inability to determine impairment at the time the test was taken."... This raises interesting questions: "IF, there is no accepted level of blood concentration for most drugs - including cannabis - how do we define impairment? HOW. could you prove impairment? Since positive tests for drugs are not indicative of impairment! Do we need, drug testing? "Employers and Trade Unions should be very cautious in how to proceed before implementing a drug and alcohol testing or it could well turn into a litigation nightmare - just like in the USA, where the CRAZY idea started. NOTE: "You the jury: Cannabis law and drug testing" 1999; A submission to The Responsible Authority Group at Braintree District Council [Essex] warned of this draconian measure. http://www.lca-uk.org/displayitem.php?articleid=576 In addition to the above, please take a look at: Drug Testing at work - a bad investment. The 1999 report of the American Civil Liberties Union (PDF format). http://www.ukcia.org/culture/drugtesting1999.pdf Taking the piss at work http://www.ukcia.org/culture/pisstest.php I hope you consider this sufficiently news worthy to run with it. Kind regards Don Barnard LCA Press Office The Legalise Cannabis Alliance PO Box 198, Norwich NR3 3WB DonBarnard@lca-uk.org Phone 07984 255015 Editors Researchers notes: 1] Conform or be punished! Taken from LCA Press Briefing Friday 06 Dec 2002 "Beware Political Language" http://www.lca-uk.org/displayitem.php?articleid=768 NOTE I am given to understand they do not test for cannabis in the criminal justice system! POSSIBLE PUNISHMENT IF TESTING POSITIVE IN THESE AREA. Drug Treatment and Testing orders = possible jail On parole = back to prison. Probation = possible jail sentences At work = sack or possible treatment Drivers = no licence (without committing a traffic offence) Serving community sentence = possible prison On arrest = possibly offer of treatment or no bail Rehab centres and clinics = expulsion Private schools = expulsion State schools [they have the powers] = exclusion or refused re-admission Armed Forces = Contract ended. Local Authorities - not sure yet. WHOSE NEXT ? 2] Roger Warren Evans Barrister and Secretary of the Socialist Civil Liberties Association. Roger Warren Evans is a Welshman born in Swansea and living in Swansea, husband, father, graduate... Community Councillor, primary school Governor, Company Director, housebuilder and property developer. Barrister, Labour Party activist, Fabian Organiser for Wales... Director, Aquaterra Leisure - Member LIBERTY, also Secretary Socialist Civil Liberties Association - Trustee, Mutual Aid Centre...... Rogers Web pages are at http://www.netcomuk.co.uk/~rwevans1/wevansnet/pub0011.html END Posted January 26 2003
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