The TTC is considering random drug and alcohol testing for employees who hold “safety sensitive” jobs such as drivers, mechanics, and maintenance workers. The idea arose from a recent report detailing almost 40 instances of intoxication among TTC employees, including Tony Almeida, who was killed by a subway car on the job; post-mortem analysis revealed that he had been smoking marijuana during his shift.

TTC Chief General Manager Gary Webster, believes that it is necessary to test employees in order to ensure the safety of the general public. Amalgamated Transit Union President Bob Kinnear feels that drug testing violates the privacy of employees.

According to Statistics Canada, the rate of marijuana-related crimes has increased by at least 34 per cent since 1991. Cocaine offenses are also on a steady rise. Drug overdoses account for the deaths of nearly 1,300 people per year, and half of all reported cases of HIV infection occur among drug users.

These statistics show that substance abuse is not a an issue confined to the TTC, but a societal dilemma. Launching a drug and alcohol testing program for employees in safety sensitive jobs will not cure the evils of drug use in our society.

Ensuring the safety of our citizens is a top priority, but our biggest concern should be whether or not drug testing will bring an end to drug use. There should be a zero tolerance policy towards intoxicants on the job. Drug use is not acceptable under any circumstances, whether one is employed by a transit company in a major city, or working a job with less public importance. The principle behind this drug testing initiative (i.e., eradicating drug use on the job) suggests that drugs are acceptable, as long as employees are not on duty. Additionally, defining a job as “safety sensitive” is problematic. Safety is a major priority with every job, regardless of the institution.

Our society needs to approach drugs in a different way, and employer-enforced drug and alcohol testing won’t eradicate the billion-dollar illegal industry thriving in the Greater Toronto Area. The TTC drug testing initiative seems to condemn drugs only when they compromise work safety, but illicit drug use is wrong at any time.