Questions About Failed Dot Drug Test

Hello, I hope some of you can help clear up some of my worries and confirm a thing or two... On my very first day of cdl permit prep class at Swift we submitted both U/A and hair tests. During the first week of class I got my CDL permit and was excited for this new career. Well I got my hair tests back and I was positive for the pot. My results were 2.6pg and the threshold is 1pg. I immediately was disqualified and disaapointed. I quit smoking and drinking in November of 2022 and waited until April 2023 to even sign up so I would be able to pass this and I was quite confident. It was over 120 days as per my recruiters recommendation since I did tell him back in Nov that yes I have used recently. I waited 4 months to just fail. I live with someone who does smoke weed but they do it in their room but apparently this can cause positive results so thats what I suspect. Question 1: If my results were 2.6pg how long do I have to wait until its down past the 1pg ? I dont trust hometest so thats not an option. I cant afford to get a medical grade test as ive been out of work and have gone through all my funds leading up to this point. I was told by my instructor this will not keep me from getting my cdl with another company just not with swift for 5 years. I checked clearinghouse and it was not reported. Question 2: will this show up on a dac report? Mind you I never got my CDL. I just have a CDL permit. I still want to drive truck and will not let this get me down but I just dont know when I can confidently sign up with another carrier without being worried I will fail again. I still dont smoke or drink because this is something I really want to do and its no issue. I smoked and drank on almost a daily basis for years but im not addicted to anything except my vape. I have read threads about shaving my legs so that the new growth will show that I have been clean for as long as I have. Is this true ? I blame no one for this nor do I have any ill feelings towards swift but I am a bit annoyed how I did what I was supposed to and still failed and it really ****es me off. I see people who can barely form a sentence mumbling doing what I want to be doing and it angers me. The only positive thing I got from this is I no longer use and I feel so much better because of it. Thank you for any feed back...

Hello and welcome,

Due to the never ending influx of “Hey man, I smoke weed and I need a trucking job, how do I pass a drug test?” posts that happen in here on a very regular basis, here is a blanket reply that cuts right to the chase…

THE GOLDEN RULE OF MARIJUANA, TRUCKING, and DRUG TESTS is to wait 12 months from last use before applying for a trucking job for (2) reasons. First, it will guaranty that any THC compounds and/or cannabanoids will be thoroughly purged from your system regardless of your health, body mass, and how much you previously used. Second, you will have proven to yourself, and the trucking industry that you are in full control of yourself and are a “past user” versus an addict. Users can walk away and stay away. Addicts are dependent on the THC and cannot quit without professional intervention or alternate therapies. The problem is so many chronic “dependent” users think they can cope without it moving forward and relapse. If you relapse, reset the 12 month clock.

FIVE REASONS YOU SHOULD NOT EVEN BOTHER BECOMING A TRUCK DRIVER:

- 70% of first year drivers (the majority of which don’t use drugs) wash out and quit due to the stress, job demands, and social isolation.

-Tractor/trailer combos are nearly 70 feet long and can weigh 40 tons and can potentially injure or kill scores of people if the driver is impaired by controlled substances. Loss of limb or life and multi-million dollar losses to carriers and/or their insurance companies are not uncommon in severe trucking accidents. Think about that.

-You can and will be tested at random intervals and can face strict penalties if you test positive.

-Do you honestly believe that you will avoid using literally 100% of the time (including your time off)? That is what is will take to even stand a chance at making a go of this.

-Trucking is the 7th most dangerous job in America, has the 4th highest suicide rate of any occupation, and is always near the top for divorce rate. Do you have the mental constitution to ignore stress and make quick and correct decisions in an emergency WITHOUT having your mind numbed by drugs? An average sober person does not. Ponder that for a minute as it’s a huge question “Can I manage extreme stress while sober for the long haul?”

FREQUENT MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT TRUCKING AND MARIJUANA:

“Anyone can get a trucking job, it’s easy and there is high demand”

-Ridiculously incorrect. On the contrary there are very few that actually CAN do this job. It is stressful, demanding, requires a 12-14 hour workdays with a constantly changing schedule and altered sleep patterns.

“I can still use on my time off as long as I am sober for duty”

-Wrong. THC has lasting effects which impairs your short term memory, ability to focus, cognitive function, and motivation. These are all CRITICAL characteristics of a good driver. And NO, how strong and cool you think you are does not matter...it applies to everyone equally .

“If I fail a drug test, I deserve a second chance!”

- If you failed a DOT drug test your career is most likely over already. YOU made a choice to use and YOU are responsible for this outcome. The purpose of the test is to keep unsafe drivers off the road. You will now likely need to find another career field (preferably non-OSHA).

IN CLOSING:

This may not be what you wanted to hear but perhaps what you needed to hear. Trucking is brutally stressful and demanding lifestyle change. Frankly, if you can’t face and handle stress and react quickly under pressure and have any severe emotional problems, then you likely have a 99% chance of failure. Not trying to be harsh, but most people with mental health and/or chemical dependency issues will have a nearly impossible uphill battle in this field.

I myself am a prior marijuana user myself who has permanently quit prior to trucking. You can do it too! Please come back if/when you are clean for 12 months and there will be an abundance of support to get your career off to a great start! If you cannot stay clean, then there is no shame, in fact there is great respect if you will do the right thing and scratch trucking off of your list of options and find a career better suited to your situation. I pray that you will find not only employment soon, but also greater peace and fulfillment in your life.

The reply from Zen Joker is one of the best I’ve read about this frequent issue.

I might add that if the OP pursues trucking after waiting a year, he will still have to answer this question: Have you ever failed a drug test?

Regardless of the Clearinghouse or DAC , you must answer yes. You must be truthful because it will be discovered in the vetting process. Plus, it’s the right thing to do.

Jeez is there a way we can pin up Zen Joker's reply...probably the best info you'll get on this frequently discussed topic.

Jeez is there a way we can pin up Zen Joker's reply...probably the best info you'll get on this frequently discussed topic.

That's a fact! That covered everything perfectly.👍👍

Great job, Zen Joker.

Question 1: If my results were 2.6pg how long do I have to wait until its down past the 1pg ?

Too many variables to answer. Here's the breakdown:

Hair grows between .25" and .75 inches per month. Hair grows faster in the summer months and faster if you're blond. If there's THC in your body while the hair is growing there will be THC in your hair. If you got no haircuts since October your hair will still test positive. Even after you have metabolized all the THC out of your body, it will still be in your hair. Even if your magic number was 120 days to metabolize the THC out of your body the hair that was growing on the 119th day will still have THC in it.

Your magic number will vary depending on how much THC you used, how long you used it and how potent the THC was you consumed. The more THC in your body the longer it will take your body to metabolize it out. If you were smoking an eighth of Blackberry Octane #7 every day for five years it's going to take it a lot longer to work its way out of your body than if you smoked two joints a month for 3 months.

You've figured out the hair and the potency so you can wait a year and be good, right? NOT SO FAST. While you were consuming all that THC and hitting the Taco Bell drive-thru your body stored fat. Your body was also storing THC in your body fat. Even if you don't consume for 1, 3 or 5 YEARS once your body starts breaking down all that stored fat it will release THC into your body again. It won't be enough to give you a buzz but it will fail a drug screen.

The good news is your body stores fat LIFO - last in first out. You don't need to get rid of all your body fat, just the fat you stored while you were using and that should be the first to go.

If I were in your shoes:

1. Lose any weight you may have put on since you started using. Speed up your metabolism with regular cardio - this will speed up your body's ability to metabolize the THC away.

2. When you think you're clean go to a clinic and take a drug screen. DON'T trust a $.99 test you got online or at the Dollar Store take a REAL test at a CLINIC. Should be less than $20. Even if you, "fail" it's not reportable anywhere. Wait another month and try again. If you pass that means the THC has worked its way out of your body.

3. Shave EVERYTHING longer than 1/4". If you don't have any THC in your body or trapped in your body fat there won't be any to contaminate your NEW hair.

4. Wait for your hair to grow. Drug testing protocols require a minimum of 1.5 inches of hair to test. If you don't have 1.5 inches they will turn you away so I'd go make sure I had an honest 2 inches before testing just to avoid any debates about whose ruler was off. Depending on your ethnicity, hair color, season and other variables that will take from 3-4 months

Question 2: will this show up on a DAC report?

Probably. There are no hard and fast rules of what a company MUST put on DAC. The FMCSA won't put hair test results on the Clearinghouse. As others have pointed out it's the, "Have you EVER failed a pre-employment drug screen?" question you MUST answer honestly that will be the issue.

It may just be easier renting a space in a strip mall and counseling prospective CDL drivers about what they need to do to pass a pre-employment drug screen (for a small fee) judging by the number of questions we see from this market niche.

Thank you Joker for your reply. I agree. I should wait the full year. This will ensure I am completely clean and even be an opportunity to give myself the time to make sure that this is something I want to pursue and give me time to get financially stable again. I have always wanted to drive trucks since I was a kid so this isnt something I just decided last night but something I decided to pursue recently. I have worked in the heavy lifting industry since my early 20's and being behind a desk has just become daunting. I am 37 now. As for weed and especially alcohol I am certain that is behind me because looking back all the bad things I have done or have had done to me were directly related to those two things and if I continued down that path I would have probably been out of more than just a job. I'll check back ! Be safe all...

Thank you Pac Pearl. I will take your advise and run with it. How did you know I eat taco-bell after smoking a fatty ? Crazy!.. Now should I answer the drug test question honestly a year from now.. Will I be required to go through SAP ?