I am looking to start a CPL course in the next few months but I have a question regarding the Class 1 medical and historic substance abuse.

Before I start I would say that I have not touched any drugs for 8 years. I was smoking cannabis and mild cocaine use in my early 20's.

I was on them for about 2 years and although I did not require any treatment it still appears on my medical record as I had to see a doctor at one point and come clean,so to speak.

Am I to be punished for the rest of my life for the follies of my youth!

Any constructive help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Rupes

A similar situation occured to a prospective pilot on here a few years ago. He was attemting to gain a class2, and from memory, had only used cannabis (not coke).

I got some feedback from him some time later- he gained his class2, but had to have a sit down with a psychiatrist first,(At his own expense), in order to state he wasn't an "addict."

I'm not sure the position with class1 or with using cocaine. It may be worth a search as I think it may have been discussed before.

Without wishing to get into the morals of it all, I'm not sure it's a matter of punishment. The AME's are there to protect the public, not for the sake of your health.

Thank you for your reply. I will do some further investigation. It is difficult to know who to ask. Can you speak to an AME without disclosure?

Regarding the AME I fully appreciate their position and the last thing I want to do is endanger passengers and crew but not sure how to prove that I am clean and medically fit.

Rupes

Hi,

Im currently doing my ATPLs and was in Amsterdam recently with friends and we consumed abit of weed over there.

I haven't done my Class 1 yet, so I tought I would call the CAA and ask them how long it stays in the body. When I called, the CAA kind of scared me by asking my details and my license details so I hung up.

Would anyone here know how long you usually need for it to get out of the system??

I would appreciate the help.

Thank you.

Don't you think it would be a good idea to get a Class One before you start chucking money at an ATPL? You might not pass the medical and all that money would be wasted.

As for "accidentally consuming cannabis" please grow up. You may have got carried away after too much pop, but it was not an accident.

OK, so I got carried away, but any clue about the time it would take?

Google is your friend. NHS Direct.

Stupid for touching it considering the line of work your planning on joining.

As for the CAA as far as im aware they dont test for drugs.

No doubt "Shell Management" will have something to say about that then......

Thanks for your replies, since it was just a one off, i think ill be ok

It tends to be detectable for about 28 days. And I'm pretty sure that in the aviation world, that the only time they test for it is if you crash (at post mortem).

It's a little perverse, as most Class A drugs tend to stick around only for a day or two. Some theorists say this is why class A stuff is more prevalent in the prison system (less chance of getting caught).

If you admit your use to the CAA, you will probably need a psychiatric opinion before gaining the ticket.



Don't really wanna' get into the ethical side of the debate, just presenting the facts as I know them.

It stays for up to 6 months in your hair, so the usual test for cannnabis is by taking a hair sample.

Depends on if you're a regular smoker, body weight, and metabolism.

Anywhere between a week or a month for a urine test.

Google is your friend.

'Accidentally'... whatever. Regardless of whether or not your aviation authority has a policy of random testing, your (future) employer probably will, as a condition of the contract. I know of a particular base of a particular airline recently being visited by company appointed testers for random checks of cabin crew and pilots - a few resigned immediately rather than take the test, a few refused and were sacked and a few took the test, tested positive and were sacked. Nobody mourned their loss as like that have no place in aviation.

Furthermore, airport security will stop anyone who they have suspiscion may be unfit through alcohol and after testing the police and courts deal with transgressors appropriately. I see no reason why being suspected of being unfit through drugs would not be dealt with in an identical manner.

Cannabis is detectable in the hair for a very long time, and has such a long hangover effect that smoking it on your first day off will most likely still cause impairment when you are next back at work. Consider this incident to be a warning and make sure it never happens again.

its getting worse for this poor guy

Well Jamie, it depends how long his hair is! In my case (hair only) it wouldn't be detectable at all.

I have never heard of it being tested through hair. Have heard it stays in your hair but seldom is that used as it is so expensive.

You did not break the law.

To say it impairs your judgment days after is not true.

Don't make a habit of it and you will be fine.

Once you get a job don't do it even once.

You can get tested at work, I have, on the airbridge, breath into this and also can I swipe this on your forehead.

It really is not worth it.

I used to smoke it sometimes at school, got tested 2 weeks after smoking and was clear, I guess because I only did it once every couple of months. Would never even think of touching the stuff now.

It stays in the hair forever so long as does alcohol, at least in the sort of industrial quantities that might apply to a dipsomaniac. There is at least one doctor at LGW who has been agitating for hair analysis checks for years.
Two things only prevent this happening as a matter of course. One is the cost and the second is that the CAA are quite concerned at the number of positive drug tests that would be thrown up by such a testing plan. I conjecture that they're worried about press exposure but suggest that since the demise of the NoW much of the danger has been removed.

Silly thing to do, but here's hoping it was a one-off incident of silliness.
30 days urine (UP TO, for a one off likely to be less).
Hair: as long as the hair is there, in theory + the 30 days.
Easy solution: do what an AFL player here in Australia did: shave it off (ALL of it, ie down there too).

Get and independent test from a drug store / chemist or a Doctor in a few weeks that you pay for yourself without using insurance (no paper trail) if its positive.



Once you test negative then you are good to apply for an aviation medical.



The other posters have filled you in on the wisdom of taking drugs and flying,



Oh, and consider shaving your head !