Marijuana violations have taken over 10,000 truck drivers off the street this year, including more supply chain disruptions

(Stacker) - Delayed packages, bare grocery store cabinets, and inflated prices have become the norm for American shoppers over the past two years. While the COVID-19 pandemic has been the catalyst, there are other challenges inflicting provide chain issues, together with a lack of truck drivers to transport items from one place to a different. In late 2021, the American Trucking Associations reported that the motive force scarcity had risen to an all-time excessive of 80,000, partly as a result of ageing inhabitants and shrinking wages.

In response, the Biden administration vowed in December to get more truck drivers on the street by boosting recruitment efforts and expediting the issuing of business licenses. Nonetheless, that gained’t affect one other hurdle: disparate marijuana laws throughout the U.S. that are contributing to a rise in violations. In 2022, a growing number of truckers are being taken off the job, which might quickly worsen the already suffering supply chain.

As extra states legalize recreational marijuana—4 of which did so in the past year and three extra are expected to by the top of 2022—extra truck drivers have tested constructive for the substance. As of April 1, 2022, 10,276 commercial car drivers have tested optimistic for marijuana use. By the identical time in 2021, there had been 7,750 violations. That’s a 32.6% enhance yr over 12 months.

Truck drivers who journey cross-country face inconsistent state regulations as 19 states have legalized leisure marijuana and 37 states permit it for medicinal functions. However even when a driver used marijuana or hemp-based products like CBD while off responsibility in a state where these substances are legal, they might still be faced with a violation due to the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) zero-tolerance policy at the federal level.

“While states may enable medical use of marijuana, federal laws and coverage do not recognize any authentic medical use of marijuana,” a DOT handbook for industrial vehicle drivers reads. “Even when a state permits the usage of marijuana, DOT laws treat its use as the identical as the usage of any other illicit drug.”

Stacker checked out what’s inflicting thousands of truckers to be removed from their jobs, and the looming domino impact of the continued supply chain disruptions.

Underneath laws set forth by the DOT, truck drivers are tested for drug use—including marijuana—prior to starting a brand new job. They can be examined at random, as well as after accidents. In January 2020, the DOT’s Federal Motor Provider Security Administration also upped the random drug testing rate from 25% of the common number of driver positions to 50%. Truck drivers are primarily screened for drug use through urinalysis, but there are actually new saliva tests being proposed as nicely.

At worst, if a driver fails only one drug take a look at, that can be grounds for termination below DOT regulations. At best, they are quickly taken off the street and required to finish an evaluation with a substance misuse professional who determines their rehabilitation course of, which can generally take months.

As of January 2020, employers are also required to list commercial drivers who fail a drug check within the FMCSA’s Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse. These violations stay searchable for five years. Potential employers are additionally required to examine the Clearinghouse to see if a industrial driver had any earlier violations, which might stop them from being hired.

In recent times, more states have legalized both recreational and medical marijuana, making it extra widely available and used. Nevertheless, marijuana use is still prohibited for commercial truck drivers, state laws and medical prescriptions apart. Based on the FMCSA, “a driver may not use marijuana even when [it] is beneficial by a licensed medical practitioner.” The DOT has maintained its zero-tolerance stance for marijuana use even as it’s become legalized, saying, “Legalization of marijuana use by States and different jurisdictions also has not modified the applying of U.S. Division of Transportation drug testing laws.”

A industrial driver might use marijuana while off-duty, not driving, and in a state where marijuana is authorized, but still test optimistic for the substance for up to a month later and be taken off the highway. The American Habit Centers says for infrequent marijuana customers—that means those that use the substance less than two times every week—it will possibly present up of their urine for up to three days. Somebody who uses marijuana a number of times every week can check constructive for up to three weeks, and those who use marijuana even more incessantly can “take a look at constructive for a month or longer.”

Shortages, manufacturing unit closures, and items ready to be unloaded at ports are simply a number of the current points affecting the provision chain across America. Trucking transports 72% of products throughout the U.S., based on a report from the White House, but a growing variety of commercial drivers are sidelined for marijuana use.

The return-to-duty course of that industrial vehicle drivers must endure as soon as confronted with a marijuana violation can keep them from returning to work at all. According to the FMCSA’s monthly report, 89,650 commercial drivers are currently in prohibited status as of April 1, 2022, however 67,368 of them haven't begun the RTD process. 

If violations continue at the present fee, the truck driver shortage will further disrupt the provision chain, which means increased costs not just for commodities but the cost of residing at large.

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