thanks carla for your reply.Like I stated I knew nothing about things as this and did not want to give him a wrong answer.I did not know what the rules were about meds and working and trying to get hired.I have no reason to think he isn't being trueful and that is why I did not have any answers for him,but being a friend wanted to help.I have sent him all the replys and told him I was sorry I had no answers and had looked on the computer under drugs and read all I knew where to read and still did not get a answer for as days or hours it would take for the pain killer Percedan not to show up and be competely out of his system .I do hope he gets the job and I know good jobs are come to by these days.When he asked if I knew how long it would show up in his urine and if he took the pee test tommorrow did I think it would show up and than he NOT get the job,I just said I really can not answer that.But again like I stated above I started searching for him and found this site and thought I post here.I again want to thank you and the other poster for replying, and thank you for your time.

No, I wasn't trying to convey hopelessness; I was trying to convey the uselessness & the insensitivity of making judgments about people whose resources are at low ebb, whose mental functions are compromised by powerful addictive substances, whose boots we never have had to even try on. Obviously, one has to exercise willpower to get anything done. I tell myself that every morning when the cat is sleeping on my head & I do not want to move... but I get up, partly because I am confidant that I *can* get up, & partly because there's not an addictive substance in that pillow that has made my body dependent upon it. Addictive substances are potent, & combined with genetic or metabolic predispositions, they're devastating. Alcoholism is a physical addiction; withdrawal has terrible physical consequences & some dangers. A registered nurse who worked at the Dallas County jail once told me that part of her job was to interview people who were going to jail, & she had to ask them about alcohol & drugs. She said that alcoholics had to be more closely monitored than people who habitually used cocaine; they might be called cocaine "addicts", but that addiction was mental, while alcoholism is a physical addiction: Withdrawing cold-turkey from cocaine might not make you happy, but withdrawing cold-turkey from alcohol could kill you. Something that can kill you is not something that "willpower" alone can overcome. Again, it's like telling a diabetic to just get over it; there's no more insulin, they need to exercise their willpower to keep going & functioning. An addicted person's willpower is at a very low ebb anyway, since they are at the mercy of their drug; expecting or demanding someone in that position to just break the habit (or saying it's an "obligation") is unproductive & uncompassionate at best, counter-productive & mean-spirited at worst.

Hi Popi, Thanks for the link. I'll check it out. Hi Finedreams, Glad you quit smoking. :) I agree that telling kids that smoking is bad for you, and that it is illegal and that has a whole other set of issues associated with it. That's what I was trying to say with the water and headaches. I know my mom is right, and she is very well versed in health matters as a public health nurse, it's just that we were so anti- (any) drug/unhealthy items growing up, including pain medication like asprin, and that killer of millions- sugar! that I have a hard time when drugs aren't clearly defined and want my daughter to get the right language so she doesn't feel deceived later. Simply coming home and saying "drugs are bad" (well, what are drugs?) "drugs are cigarettes and beer and wine" is not effective teaching to me. They aren't giving the whole story, and I feel this is a disservice to my child. I disagree though, that "light drinking here and there can cause a serious damage" if the drinking is not associated with drugs or alcoholism. The Mayo Clinic, among other highly ranked establishments of health, validates that drinking red wine in moderation is good for the heart. In fact, in 1992 Harvard researchers included moderate alcohol consumption as one of the "eight proven ways to reduce coronary heart disease risk." http://www.ynhh.org/online/nutrition/advisor/red_wine.html I'm not advocating people going out and getting drunk, but I have seen the effects of the blanket NO on Drugs war and in my NSHO it doesn't work. A study by U.S. and New Zealand scientists has shown that about 3 million heart-disease-, stroke- and diabetes-related deaths are caused by high blood sugar levels each year world wide; one health author notes that the only way to raise blood sugar is by consuming sugars and refined carbohydrates. http://www.naturalnews.com/021037.html What would you say if someone told you that alcoholism has its roots in sugar addiction? Problems with overconsumption of alcohol often begin with eating habits as children. Since all alcoholic drinks contain sugar, it is a wonder that this association is often overlooked. Children are easily made to believe by their parents and other authority figures that various foods regularly eaten by the whole of society are actually good for them and contain substantive nutrition. Although sugar is not technically in the same category as alcohol or drugs, food with refined sugars and processed flour as well as candies and desserts represent the initial stepping stone to sugar consumption that can plateau out as alcohol abuse in adolescents and adults. http://agriculturesociety.wordpress.com/2006/10/17/alcohol-and-the-sugar-connection-just-in-time-for-halloween/

If an employer has a reason to request a test it's called 'reasonable suspicion'. If an employer does random testing, then you were notified of that either when you were hired or when the program started, if it started after you were hired. If they started it during your employment, it's likely they gave everyone 30 days notice that they were now included in a random program. In either situation - reasonable suspicion or random - a positive test is cause for immediate termination. A refusal is deemed to be the same thing as a positive test and is cause for immediate termination. If you have a problem and you come forward to ask for help, help is arranged through the Employee Assistance Program. This does not result in termination, but there is random testing for 12 months. Admitting to drug use and asking for help only after you are notified of a pending test would be too late. BTW, you don't 'ignore' a request for a random drug screen. You either do it or you refuse it. "...if I worked as a clerk in a store..." - theft is a major issue in retail and is tied to drug use (it's expensive!) probably more often than you think. Many retail corporations do drug screens during the pre-employment process, after injuries and for reasonable suspicion. Some even do random testing for those employees who handle a lot of cash.