Man Recounts Taking Drug Test Knowing He'd Fail to 'Waste' Company's Time

A post has gone viral on Reddit after a man claiming to be an Air Force veteran shared why he chose to take a drug test knowing he'd fail it.

Redditor u/tenbeersdeep shared that when searching for employment in 2020, he applied to three jobs each week per the requirements for qualifying for unemployment. He wrote in a post now voted on over 45,000 times that he applied to Home Depot knowing he wouldn't take the role as he had already accepted another.

He said the company "desperately" wanted to hire him and informed him that as part of the hiring process he'd need to complete a drug test which included cannabis despite the substance's legalization in the Redditor's state.

"Knowing that I didn't want the job anyway and how expensive the lab work is and the fact that I smoke the night before, I did it anyway," he wrote. When the doc called me to let me know that i tested positive, I said 'yea i smoked the day before'. He seemed confused and asked why I took the test, I told him that I know how expensive and pain in the [a*s] it is for everyone. He was not happy, I never heard back from HD."

Recreational marijuana has become legal in over a dozen states across the country

According to American Addiction Centers, using data from Glassdoor, generally speaking the percentage of jobs requiring pre-employment drug tests in the U.S. is lower than two percent.

Washington D.C. is the city with the most jobs requiring pre-employment drug tests with 2,200 jobs requiring the practice.

According to New York labor laws, "cannabis used in accordance with New York State law is a legal consumable product" which means employers are prohibited from discriminating against adult employees based on the use of cannabis outside of the workplace, outside of work hours, and without the use of the employer's equipment or property.

It is not made clear in the Reddit post where the poster lives but it is made clear that cannabis was not an acceptable substance despite its legalization.

Many commenters highlighted the differing opinions toward cannabis and alcohol in the United States.

"Won't hire you if you smoke a little weed, but don't care if you go out drinking every night. I hate it here,' one commenter said.

"It's bonkers to hear my co-workers and managers talk openly about their drunken exploits while knowing I'd be immediately jobcannoned [sic] if anyone knew I smoked weed...Edit: and it's legal here," wrote another.

One commenter fell in line with New York's perspective that if it's done on an employee's own time it should not impact their work-life.

"Their loss. Rejecting you for a legal thing done on you own time? How is that a thing?," the commenter said.

Newsweek contacted Home Depot for comment.