Will This New DOT Policy Curb Drug Test Cheaters?

The U.S. Department of Transportation is on track to make an important change that could affect workers who use cannabis. The ministry recently proposed a new rule giving employers the option to include oral cannabis testing for their employees. While a drug test is still a drug test, there are a variety of benefits associated with it, especially when compared to urinalysis.

The transportation industry may be one of the few industries where a cannabis drug test is actually useful in assessing whether or not a worker is equipped to drive. However, the use of urinalysis is invasive and does not provide an answer as to whether or not a person is intoxicated with cannabis; it only shows if the person has used cannabis at any time in the last month. An oral saliva test could provide a more accurate reading and show if the person has consumed THC at any point in the past 24 hours.

RELATED: Which Industries Are Workers Most Commonly Tested for Cannabis?

Photo by SOCMIA Photography via Unsplash

All that aside, oral tests are less likely to result in cheating as they are usually conducted on-site. “This gives employers a choice that will help combat employee cheating on urine drug tests and provides a more economical, less intrusive means of achieving the program’s safety goals,” the statement said.

The transportation and warehousing industry leads the way in requiring drug testing of its employees, according to a new job report from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. While workplaces have become more lenient as cannabis gains legal status in a variety of states, drivers with commercial driver’s licenses (CDL) can face severe penalties if they fail a drug test, are fired from their jobs, and face suspensions .

RELATED: These drivers test positive for marijuana more often than any other substance

There isn’t yet a test that measures whether or not someone is currently intoxicated with cannabis, but a saliva test comes closest. According to an ongoing study, researchers discovered a way to measure whether or not someone is currently intoxicated with cannabis using a technique called functional near-infrared spectroscopy, which measures brain patterns. If the research were successful, this tool could be used in a variety of situations, whether it’s measuring poisoning among professional drivers or as a tool for law enforcement agencies.

The public has until March 30 to comment and suggest additions to this new policy.