D&A tests on leave?

[Unregistered]

Hi, I searched the forum but couldn't find an answer to this particular question despite a lot of threads on the subject-

I'm hoping to begin my cadetship soon, just going through interviews, etc, and I'm aware you have to be careful with alcohol during college and absolutely no drugs which is fine. I was wondering though, are companies such as clyde or sstg known to D&A test their cadets while they are on leave during sea phases or holidays or can cadets be a bit more relaxed with alcohol and whatnot during these times?

Really just a curiosity question, don't think the answer will affect me much either way. Quite happy to not drink while at college but did wonder about when we all go home for a week or two.

[Clanky]

While I have heard (possibly apocryphal) tales of contracts which reserve the right for the company to give D&A tests to seafarers on leave, I have never heard of it happening in practice.

[bobofinga]

Never heard of it.

[EH75]

Never been tested on leave or heard of anyone who has. Got tested 3 times in total at college (once per phase). Yet to be tested at sea. Not that I have anything to hide like.

[HolyNougat]

Yeah, never on leave for booze, for sure - onboard depends on the company. Some countries like Aus and NZ often do random testing of seafarers.

[The Kraken]

I trained with one of the companies you mentioned, never tested on leave in a sea-phase. It would be a logistical nightmare to get so many people who live in different parts of the country to meet in one place at one time. It was always done in college, usually an administrator would come into a class and tell us "if you're with ....... you've got a random d&a test in 1 hour. Meet at ..... room". We got tested twice in 3 college phases.

[chrisclapperford]

It would never happen. Also you can time it so whatever you have taken will not show up. Reddit is a good source of info. At the moment Prof David Nutt is doing an AMA so you can ask the expert.

http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/2235ag/im_professor_david_nutt_sacked_for_telling_the/

I would strongly recommend not drinking at sea, even if your ship isnt dry. Emergencies can happen at any time.

[chris]

I never got tested for D&A at college, but have had a drugs test as part of a pre employment medical. Then there are the random alcohol tests onboard as my ship isnt dry.