# Passing a drug test after spending a week in Amsterdam
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passing-a-drug-test-after-spending-a-week-in-amsterdam/260745
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [August 20, 2004, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passing-a-drug-test-after-spending-a-week-in-amsterdam/260745 "2004-08-20T17:12:57Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@pilzner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pilzner)
#### Post date: [August 20, 2004, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passing-a-drug-test-after-spending-a-week-in-amsterdam/260745/1 "2004-08-20T17:12:57Z")
I’m asking this hypothetical question because I am pretty sure no laws are broken and nothing illegal is done. If that isnt the case, feel free to delete this thread. I also tried searching for similar questions, but couldnt find anyting.
Lets say that for, whatever reason, you go visit Amsterdam and you spend a good amount of time there, four days to a week perhaps. While there, you go through a truly shameful amount of marijuana, smoking rather liberally at designated areas.
Now, on your return, you either get a job offer that asks you to take a drug test before your employment can be finalized ( my experience with such companies is typically that you need to take the test within 48 hours of the offer ) or, you work for a company that does random drug screenings, and they call you up for a urine test.
Whatever the case, I’d imagine you would be set for failure urine screening. However, does the fact that you were in a country in which you could freely and legally partake in said drugs give you a _pass_ on the drug test?
Generally, I am thinking the answer would be “No.” Most companies don’t really care why a person passed or failed a test, they only care about the end result of it. Also, when the company does the test, they aren’t to concerned about laws, ( after all, they don’t press charges after a person fails, I believe? Right? ) either in this country or any other ones. Like said, they are only concerned with the _pass_ _fail_ result. As such, their also wouldnt be any legal grounds to fight in court. Company Policy is Company Policy, not law.
However, would their be _any_ grounds to pass the test? Say, just coming out to your boss, or HR department, or whatever, and saying “Well, heck yeah I inhaled. I was in Amsterdam last week!!”
---
### Author:  [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)
#### Post date: [August 20, 2004, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passing-a-drug-test-after-spending-a-week-in-amsterdam/260745/2 "2004-08-20T17:20:34Z")
> [@pilzner](#):
>
> Generally, I am thinking the answer would be “No.” Most companies don’t really care why a person passed or failed a test, they only care about the end result of it. Also, when the company does the test, they aren’t to concerned about laws, ( after all, they don’t press charges after a person fails, I believe? Right? ) either in this country or any other ones. Like said, they are only concerned with the _pass_ _fail_ result. As such, their also wouldnt be any legal grounds to fight in court. Company Policy is Company Policy, not law.
>
> However, would their be _any_ grounds to pass the test? Say, just coming out to your boss, or HR department, or whatever, and saying “Well, heck yeah I inhaled. I was in Amsterdam last week!!”
You answered your own question. The company can decide not to hire you for any reason. If you told them about it before hand, it is up to them to decide. This will obviously depend on the company, HR, the hiring manager etc. There is no way to know until you try it. My guess is that it usually wouldn’t work. After all, if you did it in Amsterdam, it probably wasn’t your first time and it probably won’t be your last.
---
### Author:  [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)
#### Post date: [August 20, 2004, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passing-a-drug-test-after-spending-a-week-in-amsterdam/260745/3 "2004-08-20T17:22:45Z")
> [@pilzner](#):
>
> Company Policy is Company Policy, not law.
That’s pretty much it. If you’ve violated your companies conditions of employment, then they can show you the door.
---
### Author:  [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)
#### Post date: [August 20, 2004, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passing-a-drug-test-after-spending-a-week-in-amsterdam/260745/4 "2004-08-20T17:24:23Z")
Hijack, but :
> [@](#):
>
> Also, when the company does the test, they aren’t to concerned about laws either in this country or any other ones
In which other countries exactly is it lawful for a private company to mandate random drug tests?
---
### Author:  [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)
#### Post date: [August 20, 2004, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passing-a-drug-test-after-spending-a-week-in-amsterdam/260745/5 "2004-08-20T17:36:25Z")
> [@clairobscur](#):
>
> Hijack, but :
>
> In which other countries exactly is it lawful for a private company to mandate random drug tests?
That’s not the question. It should be
> [@](#):
>
> Also, when the company does the test, they aren’t to concerned about **drug** laws either in this country or any other ones
, not testing laws.
Just in case that’s what hung you.
---
### Author:  [@bughunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bughunter)
#### Post date: [August 20, 2004, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passing-a-drug-test-after-spending-a-week-in-amsterdam/260745/6 "2004-08-20T17:54:13Z")
Well, depending on the details of your “hypothetical” circumstances, there may be more or less leeway to either clean out your system, or downplay a positive result. You may be entitled to a second test if you fail the first one, or you may be suspended or denied employment immediately.
And since your “hypothetical” situation does not apparently include any technically illegal acts, I can share some general advice:
* * *
Good luck. I personally have chosen to abstain since I find the risk to my freedom and career is not worth the pleasure of a recreational buzz… too bad, though… I was quite the head in college.
But being an alcoholic _is_ legal… for now. 😉
---
### Author:  [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)
#### Post date: [August 20, 2004, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passing-a-drug-test-after-spending-a-week-in-amsterdam/260745/7 "2004-08-20T18:05:38Z")
> [@clairobscur](#):
>
> Hijack, but :
>
> In which other countries exactly is it lawful for a private company to mandate random drug tests?
Depends on your definition of “mandate.” They can insist that I take the test. I can insist not. They can insist that I go work somewhere else. I don’t get a vote on that last one…
---
### Author:  [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)
#### Post date: [August 20, 2004, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/passing-a-drug-test-after-spending-a-week-in-amsterdam/260745/8 "2004-08-20T20:27:44Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#):
>
> Depends on your definition of “mandate.” They can insist that I take the test. I can insist not. They can insist that I go work somewhere else. I don’t get a vote on that last one…
Ahh, the joys of “Employment at will”
I worked for a company that declared that on a certain day, everyone would be tested for drugs. It was interesting how many of the upper management were out of the office that day.