Cannabis drug testing is part of the reason for the US truck driver shortage

The American Trucking Association released a statement in October 2021, citing veteran driver retirements and lower wages as part of the reason for the shortage of more than 80,000 drivers. However, another cause of this shortage is attributed to the legalization of adult use and positive cannabis testing among drivers.

A summary report from the US Department of Transportation in March 2022 states that as of April 1, 2022, 10,276 commercial truck drivers have tested positive for THC. (Although this is a significant drop in numbers compared to 31,085 violations in 2021 and 29,511 violations in 2020.) Cannabis tops the data as the highest positive drug test for drivers, but this also includes data on drivers who test positive Cocaine and methamphetamine, oxymorphone and more were tested.

The situation is particularly difficult for drivers who use, as many of them travel through multiple states with different approaches to legalization.

According to an article about Stacker, the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Handbook: A Compliance for Guide Truck Drivers confirms that cannabis is still illegal at the federal level. “While states may permit the medical use of marijuana, federal law and policy do not recognize legitimate medical use of marijuana. Even if a state allows the use of marijuana, DOT regulations treat its use the same as the use of any other illegal drug.”

The DOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) increased drug testing rates from 25% to 50% two years ago. “The new minimum annual random drug testing percentage will go into effect on January 1, 2020. This change reflects the increased positive testing rate and will result in an estimated $50-$70 million increase in costs to the industry as more drivers need to be tested.” However, it also notes that random breathalyser testing remained at 10%.

The FMCSA also states that medical cannabis is also not permitted with all the exceptions noted. “Under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs), a person is not physically qualified to drive a CMV if he or she uses a Schedule I controlled substance, such as marijuana,” it reads. “Accordingly, a driver may not use marijuana even if recommended by a licensed physician.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines five risk factors for long-distance truck drivers, including obesity, smoking, low physical activity, high blood pressure and diabetes. Some of these common workplace conditions are known to be treated with medicinal cannabis. In a December 2015 study, medicinal cannabis helped prevent obesity in mice. Some studies have shown how cannabis can actually help treat nicotine addiction. Even a study last February showed evidence of how cannabis can help hypertensive patients lower blood pressure.

An April White House fact sheet said that 72% of products shipped in the U.S. are trucks, with a plan to expand and expand truck-related job opportunities. “Trucking costs have increased by more than 20 percent over the past year as a pandemic-driven surge in demand for goods is offset by a decline in pre-pandemic trucking employment,” the fact sheet said. “The low supply of drivers is caused by high fluctuation and low job quality. Truck turnover routinely averages 90 percent for some truckers, and drivers spend about 40 percent of their workday waiting for goods to be loaded and unloaded—hours that typically go unpaid.”

While the White House’s focus on improving working lives for truckers across the country is a step in the right direction, regulations need to change to allow truckers to use cannabis. One of the efforts involves placing veterans in trucking jobs, but given the current situation of military veterans seeking access to medicinal cannabis to treat conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, this would present another hurdle for them to overcome .