WV MINERS FACING "WAR ON DRUGS" EDICT - 550 Suspended Over Two Years

(10/21/2014)

The "War on Coal" is meshing with the "War on Drugs" in West Virginia coalfields. In the last two years, among about 16,000 actual coal miners, more than 550 West Virginia coal miners have temporarily lost their mining certifications because they failed a drug test, according to State Office of Miner's Health, Safety and Training's Eugene White. White released the statistics to a legislative panel Monday. 269 miners did not respond to the initial suspension letters, failing a drug test, and are facing a three year suspension. White said 79 mine workers were reinstated and 67 are currently in a treatment plan. He told legislators that prescription drugs are the main problem, with marijuana being second. The crack-down came with a sweeping mine safety law that took effect in January 2013, requiring coal mine operators to screen for substance abuse.

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