what do you think about pre-employment drug screening? Does it irritate you?...

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or do you think it is necessary? I read two different articles on this topic and the two had different opinions on this subject. Because I'm not at my 500 rating yet I am unable to paste them, but I will summarize them the best I can. The first article I read was against pre-drug screening and basically said that 84 percent of private employers conduct these tests. 39 percent do random testing. 73 percent do for-cause testing (i'm not really sure what that is), and 58 percent do after on the job accidents. Some arguments against this included that it was an invasion of people's privacy, and are ineffective because it only targets marijuana users. Many employers don't test for alcohol use which causes many job site accidents with impaired thinking and erratic behavior at times. The study says that heroin and cocaine metabolize and leave your system in about 1-3 days while marijuana takes about a month. The tests are ineffective against anything but marijuana. The tests cost about up to $40 a piece. On the other hand, the second article I read was for the testings and their argument was that drug abusers cost companies twice as much in medical and workers compensation expenses than do non-drug abusers. It says that it is more cost-effective to pay for the tests because they save on costs of accidents, damages, injuries, theft, fraud (committed i guess by only drug users). it said that drug users have a 66 percent rate of absenteeism among drug users. Saves on having to rehire and retrain employees and things of that nature. A federal government study said that 71 percent of illegal drug users are employed? So my question is what is your opinion about this issue, it does seem like everywhere you go to get a job this is being done. My personal opinion I would have to say would be that it doesn't make sense to have them if they are not testing for everything. i think they should do testing in certain positions like any driving, flying, working with heavy machinery, or anything that could be dangerous, but any other job just doesn't make sense and i think they should do the after- accident or suspicion test because if alcoholics are going to work everyday, i think everybody should be given the chance. I don't believe that all people that use drugs are hazardous to society and alcohol i believe is worse than marijuana which the first article was mainly talking about. some people can still function i suppose. are you offended by having to take these tests before a job? do you have no problem with this? Which article do you agree with? or do you agree with neither?