Mary Jane
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Mary Jane
Its been my observation that many pilots dance with this fine young woman. How paranoid of losing your job are you smoking pot as a pilot? Do any companies in Canada test for such things? How long should you wait to fly after you smoke it? Would the alcohol rule apply or should you wait longer? Has anyone smoked it WHILE flying?
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shimmydampner
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Smoking pot would be the least of my worries as far as job security goes. You're probably more likely to get laid off because the industry is so shitty. Besides, who's gonna know, unless you're coming to work pie-eyed 
and giggling. 
Give it the same time frame as booze, I'd say.
Ah, no, perahps a little longer I suppose.
and giggling. Give it the same time frame as booze, I'd say.Ah, no, perahps a little longer I suppose.
Last edited by shimmydampner on Tue Apr 19, 2005 6:49 am, edited 1 time in total.
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skudrunner
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Swanberg is the only company I know of that does drug testing. If you ask me I think it’s a good policy. Don't get me wrong, I believe what you do on your own time is you own business. But. We are all professionals and it is our responsibility to act as one.
If you want to get baked do it on your own time. ie// holidays
If you want to get baked do it on your own time. ie// holidays
If that is really how you think, its extremely scary.shimmydampener wrote:Smoking pot would be the least of my worries as far as job security goes. You're probably more likely to get laid off because the industry is so shitty. Besides, who's gonna know, unless you're coming to work pie-eyed
.
What
If you can't fly with a little down side from the previous night you probably should not be flying at all.
It's not about bright eyes and bushy tails it is about being able to do it under all circumstances.
Drug testing? Learn to live with it, it is not going to go away?
Flying drunk or stoned well that's just plain stupid.
It's not about bright eyes and bushy tails it is about being able to do it under all circumstances.
Drug testing? Learn to live with it, it is not going to go away?
Flying drunk or stoned well that's just plain stupid.
What a person does on their time off is their own business.
If a person wants to roll up a joint after a long day's toil in the salt mines, who am I to say it's worse than cracking a few beers. But that's not the point really.
The point is that it should never, ever interfere with your professional life.
If you are indulging so much that showing up sober for work is a problem, then do us all a favor and stop flying until you can get some help for your problem.
I'm still trying to figure out a vice that works for me; I get wicked hangovers and I have a strong coughing reflex
If a person wants to roll up a joint after a long day's toil in the salt mines, who am I to say it's worse than cracking a few beers. But that's not the point really.
The point is that it should never, ever interfere with your professional life.
If you are indulging so much that showing up sober for work is a problem, then do us all a favor and stop flying until you can get some help for your problem.
I'm still trying to figure out a vice that works for me; I get wicked hangovers and I have a strong coughing reflex
Mary Jane
Mary Jane would be cause for immediate dismissal at any major carrier in Canada never mind the USA where drug testing is both legal and Required.
I can't remeber the name but a Canadian Airlines pilot was picked up on his way to or from work smoking a joint by the Mounties in lower BC. He never got his job back, that's NEVER. I don't know if he is working yet or since. Get pieeyed but leave the pot alone if you have serious career aspirations.
Just my two cents worth.
I can't remeber the name but a Canadian Airlines pilot was picked up on his way to or from work smoking a joint by the Mounties in lower BC. He never got his job back, that's NEVER. I don't know if he is working yet or since. Get pieeyed but leave the pot alone if you have serious career aspirations.
Just my two cents worth.
A lot of the companies that drug test do it for all employees. Those companies also test for alcohol abuse I believe. On a side note, I had a student a long time ago who was honest 
on a medical when they asked the drug question, and he got his medical pulled until they could do "further testing". It was quite a joke - they suggested that he could have developed an addiction and sent him to a shrink and all...
He finally did get his medical back - with a provision he had to be tested in 6 months. He tested clean and got off the pot. The moral - it might not just be your employer that could use your "recreational time" against you.
The question I have is this - how can you maintain the focus necessary to further yourself in this career if you're getting your motivation sucked clean by smoking? I don't smoke, and personally I don't think it's any more dangerous than booze; I just don't see how you could keep the motivation up enough to succeed if you we hitting it hard (booze or weed). And if there's one thing I have seen in my buddies that smoke, it's that they aren't really motivated to do anything other than play Tony Hawk and eat ding-dongs. I say stick to a couple of beers every once and awhile and play it safe...
on a medical when they asked the drug question, and he got his medical pulled until they could do "further testing". It was quite a joke - they suggested that he could have developed an addiction and sent him to a shrink and all...He finally did get his medical back - with a provision he had to be tested in 6 months. He tested clean and got off the pot. The moral - it might not just be your employer that could use your "recreational time" against you.
The question I have is this - how can you maintain the focus necessary to further yourself in this career if you're getting your motivation sucked clean by smoking? I don't smoke, and personally I don't think it's any more dangerous than booze; I just don't see how you could keep the motivation up enough to succeed if you we hitting it hard (booze or weed). And if there's one thing I have seen in my buddies that smoke, it's that they aren't really motivated to do anything other than play Tony Hawk and eat ding-dongs. I say stick to a couple of beers every once and awhile and play it safe...
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fromTHCtoCHT
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Hello,
I was also honest when I applied for my first medical as far previous marijuana use, but it went no further. I guess it's a matter of how much, how often, when, and how long ago. (One or two times a month at the most, under two grams each time, with a group of longtime friends, for about two years up to until about one and a half to two years before applying.)
I don't feel like I can give a definite answer as to what I would do if I found out a fellow pilot used marijuana. I'll have to see if it does happen. The joy of circumstances...
As far as risking loosing a job, even if there is no testing, I can easily envision word getting around that pilot X is smoking the occasionnal joint. It can hinder future job applications, and possibly be the last nail in your current job's coffin.
As far as delays go: I would wait much longer than with alcohol. 72 hours at the least. A week, maybe two, if possible.
The reason? My previous experiences with the stuff ressembled this: First, the "high" period, then a "vedge" period lasting some hours.
While I would in all appeareances be fully up and running the next morning at the latest, I realized that I wasn't at my sharpest for a week or two. Probably 95% or so was back overnight, but the last 5% took much longer.
And guess what, mental math and visualisation were some of the things that took the most time coming back. Things that are handy, especially for flying. Marijuana also messes up your memory, which is nice to have for all those checklists, procedures and regulations we have to live by as pilots.
Given my (sorta limited) experience in flying, I can only say going to fly without all your senses is reckless, even suicidal. Sure, a short flight in CAVU conditions might go fine, as if nothing happened. Throw in weather, traffic, a day's work fatigue and perhaps an emergency or two, and I think you've got a lethal mix with "accident" written all over it.
And you're supposed to keep people and propriety safe in addition to all that?
Pugster's point on motivation is right on. In addition, while many people you'll get in contact with due to illegal drug use are fairly innofensive, some of them might turn out to be harmful. I can safely guess that shady dealings with known or suspected criminals aren't good for obtaining security clearances either.
Enough for now,
fromTHCtoCHT
I was also honest when I applied for my first medical as far previous marijuana use, but it went no further. I guess it's a matter of how much, how often, when, and how long ago. (One or two times a month at the most, under two grams each time, with a group of longtime friends, for about two years up to until about one and a half to two years before applying.)
I don't feel like I can give a definite answer as to what I would do if I found out a fellow pilot used marijuana. I'll have to see if it does happen. The joy of circumstances...
As far as risking loosing a job, even if there is no testing, I can easily envision word getting around that pilot X is smoking the occasionnal joint. It can hinder future job applications, and possibly be the last nail in your current job's coffin.
As far as delays go: I would wait much longer than with alcohol. 72 hours at the least. A week, maybe two, if possible.
The reason? My previous experiences with the stuff ressembled this: First, the "high" period, then a "vedge" period lasting some hours.
While I would in all appeareances be fully up and running the next morning at the latest, I realized that I wasn't at my sharpest for a week or two. Probably 95% or so was back overnight, but the last 5% took much longer.
And guess what, mental math and visualisation were some of the things that took the most time coming back. Things that are handy, especially for flying. Marijuana also messes up your memory, which is nice to have for all those checklists, procedures and regulations we have to live by as pilots.
Given my (sorta limited) experience in flying, I can only say going to fly without all your senses is reckless, even suicidal. Sure, a short flight in CAVU conditions might go fine, as if nothing happened. Throw in weather, traffic, a day's work fatigue and perhaps an emergency or two, and I think you've got a lethal mix with "accident" written all over it.
And you're supposed to keep people and propriety safe in addition to all that?
Pugster's point on motivation is right on. In addition, while many people you'll get in contact with due to illegal drug use are fairly innofensive, some of them might turn out to be harmful. I can safely guess that shady dealings with known or suspected criminals aren't good for obtaining security clearances either.
Enough for now,
fromTHCtoCHT
S&J: Can you see ground from your high horse there buddy?
Using the law as a measure of what's right and wrong is a bad idea at best - it's dangerous at worst. Plenty of reprehensible things, killing of people, abuse of minors, etc., were perfectly legal in the past (or even now in other corners of the earth). You don't have to dig too hard to find examples in history.
Both your examples (the kiddie porn and the heroine smuggling) involve harming others. Smoking a jay on a Saturday night, feet up with a couple of friends isn't exactly on the same level as being filming kiddie porn. No one is harmed. Get a grip.
The courts are all tied up with minor possession charges of otherwise law-abiding citizens. Police are spending their time busting pot-smoking students (instead of, say, murderers? rapists?) You're telling me these kids deserve to have their futures destroyed because it's against the law? Ridiculous.
I heard once that 30% of Canadians use marijuana at least once a month.
What people do, in their own time, without creating harm or potentially harming others, is their own business.
No one should risk the safety of any of their passengers by working under the influence of any intoxicating substance. Period.
Using the law as a measure of what's right and wrong is a bad idea at best - it's dangerous at worst. Plenty of reprehensible things, killing of people, abuse of minors, etc., were perfectly legal in the past (or even now in other corners of the earth). You don't have to dig too hard to find examples in history.
Both your examples (the kiddie porn and the heroine smuggling) involve harming others. Smoking a jay on a Saturday night, feet up with a couple of friends isn't exactly on the same level as being filming kiddie porn. No one is harmed. Get a grip.
The courts are all tied up with minor possession charges of otherwise law-abiding citizens. Police are spending their time busting pot-smoking students (instead of, say, murderers? rapists?) You're telling me these kids deserve to have their futures destroyed because it's against the law? Ridiculous.
I heard once that 30% of Canadians use marijuana at least once a month.
What people do, in their own time, without creating harm or potentially harming others, is their own business.
No one should risk the safety of any of their passengers by working under the influence of any intoxicating substance. Period.
S&J: Can you see ground from your high horse there buddy?
Using the law as a measure of what's right and wrong is a bad idea at best - it's dangerous at worst. Plenty of reprehensible things, killing of people, abuse of minors, etc., were perfectly legal in the past (or even now in other corners of the earth). You don't have to dig too hard to find examples in history.
Both your examples (the kiddie porn and the heroine smuggling) involve harming others. Smoking a jay on a Saturday night, feet up with a couple of friends isn't exactly on the same level as being filming kiddie porn. No one is harmed. Get a grip.
The courts are all tied up with minor possession charges of otherwise law-abiding citizens. Police are spending their time busting pot-smoking students (instead of, say, murderers? rapists?) You're telling me these kids deserve to have their futures destroyed because it's against the law? Ridiculous.
I heard once that 30% of Canadians use marijuana at least once a month.
What people do, in their own time, without creating harm or potentially harming others, is their own business.
No one should risk the safety of any of their passengers by working under the influence of any intoxicating substance. Period.
Using the law as a measure of what's right and wrong is a bad idea at best - it's dangerous at worst. Plenty of reprehensible things, killing of people, abuse of minors, etc., were perfectly legal in the past (or even now in other corners of the earth). You don't have to dig too hard to find examples in history.
Both your examples (the kiddie porn and the heroine smuggling) involve harming others. Smoking a jay on a Saturday night, feet up with a couple of friends isn't exactly on the same level as being filming kiddie porn. No one is harmed. Get a grip.
The courts are all tied up with minor possession charges of otherwise law-abiding citizens. Police are spending their time busting pot-smoking students (instead of, say, murderers? rapists?) You're telling me these kids deserve to have their futures destroyed because it's against the law? Ridiculous.
I heard once that 30% of Canadians use marijuana at least once a month.
What people do, in their own time, without creating harm or potentially harming others, is their own business.
No one should risk the safety of any of their passengers by working under the influence of any intoxicating substance. Period.
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Driving Rain
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My advice to you is don't even talk about this. Do not let anyone know what you do or don't do on your time off.
Gone are the days when you got to stand in front of your accuser(s) they can do it anonymously now and you don't get to know where or who acusations are coming from. You are not protected by any law in this matter when it is in your employers hands.
Anyone with an ax to grind can screw you. Pot lasts for a long time in your system. A blood test will pick it up for up to six months after. That friendly co-pilot my not be your friend after all.
Granted anyone who will stoop this low is a complete ass ho*e but he is the only one he has to live with.
Gone are the days when you got to stand in front of your accuser(s) they can do it anonymously now and you don't get to know where or who acusations are coming from. You are not protected by any law in this matter when it is in your employers hands.
Anyone with an ax to grind can screw you. Pot lasts for a long time in your system. A blood test will pick it up for up to six months after. That friendly co-pilot my not be your friend after all.
Granted anyone who will stoop this low is a complete ass ho*e but he is the only one he has to live with.
squawk 1276
I always say a little education goes a long ways. Take a look at the following link and make your own conclusions. In particular, take a look at how long it stays in your system. Think what might happen to you if you bend a bit of metal one day at work.
http://www.thegooddrugsguide.com/cannabis/faq.htm#07
http://www.thegooddrugsguide.com/cannabis/faq.htm#07
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cockpit_cowboy
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mary jane
When I was a ground handler in ybe the flying club and Esso did random drug and alchohol testing and if you were caught with either it was immediate job loss. There were only two times I went to work drunk and both times it was with the bosses ok. 1. I only had a couple of drinks ( Iam big guy so it takes a bit to hit me) 2. as soon as the job was done that I had to do was done I was outta there like a shot.
I am not saying that wat I did was right or anything it was wrong.
Iwouldnt do it again and do not recommend that any one do it there are ways to get the job done otherways. these cases were the exception as the other employee working at the time was new and the boss was out of town. so under all circumstances DO NOT DO IT
I am not saying that wat I did was right or anything it was wrong.
Iwouldnt do it again and do not recommend that any one do it there are ways to get the job done otherways. these cases were the exception as the other employee working at the time was new and the boss was out of town. so under all circumstances DO NOT DO IT
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shimmydampner
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Sweet and Juicy-
That was the funniest post I've seen in a long time--after ludicrous reasoning like that, you'll be hard-pressed to convince anyone that it's not you who is on drugs. I hope you never go one kilometre per hour over the speed limit when you drive because that is illegal, which would make you a child-raping, baby-killing piece of shit using your logic.
Smoking pot is a crime, sure, but it is a victimless one, provided you keep it to yourself and don't do anything stupid that would endanger anyone else. And if you've ever smoked pot (which you very obviously have not), you'd know, the last thing it makes you want to do is anything reckless and/or dangerous. So before you go looking down your f*cking nose at everyone else, I have three pieces of advice:
1. Know what you're talking about, because right now you don't have a damn clue,
2. Don't draw ridiculous and insulting parallels between murderers/rapists and those that occasionally enjoy unwinding with a joint, and
3. Be civil in your responses to others, even those you consider to be 'worthless sub-human matter.'
God knows I just did.
That was the funniest post I've seen in a long time--after ludicrous reasoning like that, you'll be hard-pressed to convince anyone that it's not you who is on drugs. I hope you never go one kilometre per hour over the speed limit when you drive because that is illegal, which would make you a child-raping, baby-killing piece of shit using your logic.
Smoking pot is a crime, sure, but it is a victimless one, provided you keep it to yourself and don't do anything stupid that would endanger anyone else. And if you've ever smoked pot (which you very obviously have not), you'd know, the last thing it makes you want to do is anything reckless and/or dangerous. So before you go looking down your f*cking nose at everyone else, I have three pieces of advice:
1. Know what you're talking about, because right now you don't have a damn clue,
2. Don't draw ridiculous and insulting parallels between murderers/rapists and those that occasionally enjoy unwinding with a joint, and
3. Be civil in your responses to others, even those you consider to be 'worthless sub-human matter.'
God knows I just did.
Last edited by shimmydampner on Tue Apr 19, 2005 6:48 am, edited 1 time in total.
shimmydampener wrote:
THis40-
Why is that 'extremely scary'? If you can't function normally after at least eight hours of sleep, there's either something wrong, or you've been smoking some serious BC wheelchair weed.
You guys are trying to say that smoking weed is the same as having A couple of beer.
Its not and NEVER will be.
Re-read what fromTHCtoCHT had to say.
Last edited by THis40 on Wed Sep 29, 2004 5:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
ETOH and THC metabolize very differently. ETOH (Alcohol) is through the liver and somewhat through the act of just breathing where as THC (tetrahydrocannibanol) stores in the fat cells of the body and is broken down over time.
Now just for arguement sake ask yourself this question. If you jump into a taxi from the Airport to the Hotel do you assume that the driver is drug free and would you go with him if you thought otherwise?
As a Paramedic I have to make decissions quickly, not unlike a pilot. My mistakes could cost either a life or a disability, not unlike a pilot. For me it doesn't matter if my mistake comes while I am driving a close to two ton rig down the road or if I am treating a patient, I better be on top of my game, not unlike a pilot.
So use some common sense. To coin an old addage "the life you save my be your own". What else are you trained to do once the pilot thing gets taken away.
And just for the record, I lived through the 70's without doing pot. That is a feat that not many from that era can claim.
Now just for arguement sake ask yourself this question. If you jump into a taxi from the Airport to the Hotel do you assume that the driver is drug free and would you go with him if you thought otherwise?
As a Paramedic I have to make decissions quickly, not unlike a pilot. My mistakes could cost either a life or a disability, not unlike a pilot. For me it doesn't matter if my mistake comes while I am driving a close to two ton rig down the road or if I am treating a patient, I better be on top of my game, not unlike a pilot.
So use some common sense. To coin an old addage "the life you save my be your own". What else are you trained to do once the pilot thing gets taken away.
And just for the record, I lived through the 70's without doing pot. That is a feat that not many from that era can claim.
I live in BC and have never smoked pot, and most of the people i know can say the same thing. A drug test will show that you've done something up to a few weeks afterwards right? so obviously theres something left behind for it to detect, and how do you know that won't affect you? and i can say from seeing alot of other people around my town and school that weed does effect your judgement, they're all morons.
Interestingly enough the RCMP have either developed a roadside test for TCH or are in the process of trying to develope one. I wouldn't think that is such a test is brought on board that it would too long before it is available to all companies to use to screen their employees.
I really don't have a stand for or against pot use. It is your body to abuse as you see fit. I do have a problem with so called professionals using street drugs of any kind and believing they are functioning as normal. I have seen first hand how it impacts families, jobs, society in general.
You want an eye opener, ask to ride third in any city, Canada in the drug area of town (they all have one). Ask these people what they were before they became drug addicts and what drug they started on. Alcohol will probably be their first drug, marijuana the second and I really do think that some of the answers to the first question will surprise a lot of you.
Until you start having children of your own do you really start to notice the problem. You want to smoke a little pot, fine, but be informed about the consequences. Anyone who says it isn't a problem needs to swallow a flashlight, maybe then he will see the light from where his head is at.
I really don't have a stand for or against pot use. It is your body to abuse as you see fit. I do have a problem with so called professionals using street drugs of any kind and believing they are functioning as normal. I have seen first hand how it impacts families, jobs, society in general.
You want an eye opener, ask to ride third in any city, Canada in the drug area of town (they all have one). Ask these people what they were before they became drug addicts and what drug they started on. Alcohol will probably be their first drug, marijuana the second and I really do think that some of the answers to the first question will surprise a lot of you.
Until you start having children of your own do you really start to notice the problem. You want to smoke a little pot, fine, but be informed about the consequences. Anyone who says it isn't a problem needs to swallow a flashlight, maybe then he will see the light from where his head is at.
