Shelagh Fogarty 1pm - 4pm
Office workers should "absolutely" be tested for cocaine, caller tells James O'Brien
18 September 2020, 13:49
Office workers should "absolutely" be tested for cocaine, caller says
This caller gave James O'Brien a "powerful" reason why office workers should "absolutely" be tested regularly for cocaine use.
Companies could be forced to randomly test for Class A drugs in a bid to stamp out cocaine use by office staff.
Home Secretary Priti Patel said demand from middle-class users fuel county lines networks with children being exploited as drug runners in the process.
Caller Sarah told James it is "absolutely right" for employees to be given regular test for cocaine use.
"I think it's time we start targeting those who are using it and perpetuating this drug epidemic that we're seeing.
"We should start targeting those people that traditionally tend to use it recreationally. They don't think it's ever going to think it's going to come back on them."
James observed that the city of London would "grind to a halt" if the measure is introduced, to which Sarah replied, "Possibly, but I think it's really unfair how the media target traditionally young black boys that we see posted all over our papers."
Sarah pointed out that while these boys are ostracised, the only reason why they are involved in county lines is because there is a market for cocaine in the cities.
"I've never seen it this way...I always thought it was a choice between legality and illegality," James reflected.
Sarah told James she works in education so can see the effect of cocaine use trickling down into the young and vulnerable and the traps in which they find themselves.