Drug screens and Codeine?

milltown

Following on from a discussion over lunch, I was wondering...

Almost all jobs these days require a medical for new hires, which I presume includes a drug test, and many jobs reserve the right to carry out random drugs tests.
All sorts of people take codeine medicines for all sorts of reasons, from aches and pains to straight addiction, and aren't breaking any laws by doing so in this country. The addictiveness of Codeine is due to it being an opioid, like heroin and morphine, and I think (open to correction) that is all that will show on a drug test, the presence of an opioid.

That being the case, how would employers differentiate between somebody who took a couple of solpadeine for a sore neck and somebody with a heroin habit, or somebody who needs the whole box of solpadeine first thing in the morning to help them function?

punisher5112

milltown wrote: »

Following on from a discussion over lunch, I was wondering...

Almost all jobs these days require a medical for new hires, which I presume includes a drug test, and many jobs reserve the right to carry out random drugs tests.
All sorts of people take codeine medicines for all sorts of reasons, from aches and pains to straight addiction, and aren't breaking any laws by doing so in this country. The addictiveness of Codeine is due to it being an opioid, like heroin and morphine, and I think (open to correction) that is all that will show on a drug test, the presence of an opioid.

That being the case, how would employers differentiate between somebody who took a couple of solpadeine for a sore neck and somebody with a heroin habit, or somebody who needs the whole box of solpadeine first thing in the morning to help them function?

The bigger test will be able to screen this but on 1st field test may show.

In my job I can't use anything with plus or extra etc etc....

It will show.

If a doctor prescribed it its meant to be OK but I'm not so sure to be honest.

Andy Magic

milltown wrote: »

That being the case, how would employers differentiate between somebody who took a couple of solpadeine for a sore neck and somebody with a heroin habit, or somebody who needs the whole box of solpadeine first thing in the morning to help them function?

You'd know the difference by looking at the person. Heroin addicts usually look like Zombies!

Sounds to me like you have an issue with people taking pain killers that contain codeine.

Lux23

Andy Magic wrote: »

You'd know the difference by looking at the person. Heroin addicts usually look like Zombies!

Sounds to me like you have an issue with people taking painkillers that contain codeine.

Not necessarily, people do use heroin recreationally and a codeine addict is no different to a street drug user healthwise.

dudara

This is a very old article, so I don't know how much things have moved on, but it implies that further testing is required to distinguish legitimate opiates from illegal ones.

People can also legitimately test positive for some drugs, particularly opiates. ``If you took a codeine tablet you would test positive for opiates, so you'd need to do a laboratory test to check for the metabolites. There are particular ones for heroin,'' said Ms Pierce of Beaumont.

LegacyUser

milltown wrote: »

Following on from a discussion over lunch, I was wondering...

Almost all jobs these days require a medical for new hires, which I presume includes a drug test, and many jobs reserve the right to carry out random drugs tests.
All sorts of people take codeine medicines for all sorts of reasons, from aches and pains to straight addiction, and aren't breaking any laws by doing so in this country. The addictiveness of Codeine is due to it being an opioid, like heroin and morphine, and I think (open to correction) that is all that will show on a drug test, the presence of an opioid.

That being the case, how would employers differentiate between somebody who took a couple of solpadeine for a sore neck and somebody with a heroin habit, or somebody who needs the whole box of solpadeine first thing in the morning to help them function?

unless the company have made you sign a waiver form that EXPLICITLY states that you will be screened for drugs, then you will not be screened for drugs.

it is a completely separate test altogether.
believe me, in the past i've gone to medicals with ALL sorts in my system and i have it under good authority that this is the case. i also happen to know 2 doctors, and both have been in a position whereby they have done medical examinations for workers, and they said it too.

they do not screen for drugs of any kind.

they simply are checking your Health and whether you are eligible to work for the company on HEALTH grounds.

it is only when you are already employed that a company will screen for drugs and only if they have reason to believe they should. at which point, you will sign a form that will tell you explicitly what you will be checked for, and this is usually a blood test and not a urine test like the medical is.

so, take as much codeine as you want - it wont make a difference in the slightest.

it is however, ingrained into the irish psyche that it's the case that you will be screened for everything, but this is not the case, and it is illegal for them to check for things like drugs without you consenting first.

you may have signed a form to consent already, but check it, and see what they are testing for - if it does not detail what they are checking for, in terms of drugs/alcohol etc, then you are not being checked for that. simple.

do not listen to anyone who says otherwise. they are simply wrong.

Zillah

Lux23 wrote: »

Not necessarily, people do use heroin recreationally and a codeine addict is no different to a street drug user healthwise.

Yeah you don't tend to pick up hepatitis from codeine pills.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

milltown wrote: »

Almost all jobs these days require a medical for new hires, which I presume includes a drug test, and many jobs reserve the right to carry out random drugs tests.

What? Never heard that before. I'd say it's the opposite to be honest.

Doctor Nick

Andy Magic wrote: »

You'd know the difference by looking at the person. Heroin addicts usually look like Zombies!

Sounds to me like you have an issue with people taking pain killers that contain codeine.

Recovering addict here. Held down a role for 14 years and employers were oblivious to my habit. It is possible to hold down a job with a habit despite what some people think.

To OP, first test would show positive for presence of opioids. Then it is possible to test further to determine exactly what that opioid is. I'm not sure how many companies would bother to go to that expense so probably better for a person to use another pain killer rather than codeine.

milltown

Andy Magic wrote: »

You'd know the difference by looking at the person. Heroin addicts usually look like Zombies!

Sounds to me like you have an issue with people taking pain killers that contain codeine.

Not at all. I've known addicts from both camps. Never would have guessed either if they hadn't told me about it. And the heroin addict was the biggest shocker to me. Well brought up, educated and doing very well at his white collar job.

Addiction doesn't give a sh1t about class, money, social standing or any of that. I had my eyes opened to that truth years ago.

milltown

One of the reasons for asking, I guess, is that myself and everybody in the firm I'm in will be made redundant over the next few months so will be back on the job market.

The pharma industry is where the majority will probably look for their next job and I can't imagine them scrimping on the drug testing before offering anybody a job.

Del2005

I've heard of someone getting in trouble for eating a poppy begal. The difference being that they were already employed, if it was a pre employment test they might not have known why they were rejected.