Drug and Alcohol Testing


New FDA Guidance to Spur Development of Abuse-Deterrent Generics

"We believe that transitioning from the current market, dominated by conventional opioid analgesics, to one where most opioids have abuse-deterrent properties may have the potential to further reduce misuse and abuse," FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb said July 20.

The impairment argument is incredibly complex. Many employers use the term in workplace drug and alcohol policies but this may not be the most prudent choice as marijuana impairment cannot necessarily be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

Health Canada Warns Medical Marijuana Producers About Sponsoring Events

Cannabis advertising is subject to several prohibitions in both the Narcotic Control Regulations and the Food and Drugs Act, with paragraph 70(b) of the NCR stating that no person shall publish or cause to be published or furnish any advertisement to the general public respecting a narcotic.

Health Canada Proposes Fees to Recover Costs of Regulating Cannabis

The agency proposes to scale fees according to the size of the business and to provide for lower fees for the newly proposed micro-scale license holders, with some types of license—those for research, analytical testing, and hemp production—being exempt from fees.

Michigan Approves 11 New Debilitating Medical Conditions for Medical Marijuana Patients

Arthritis, autism, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Parkinson's, rheumatoid arthritis, and spinal cord injury are among the conditions added to the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act of 2008.

DOJ Issues Final Rule to Help DEA Control Dangerous Drugs

If DEA believes that that a particular opioid or a particular company's opioids are being diverted for misuse, the rule allows DEA to reduce the amount that can be produced in a given year.

NIST, Collaborators Create Drug Tracking Website

NIST, Collaborators Create Drug Tracking Website

Scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the German Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency have launched a website where forensic chemists can share data on new variants or analogs of drugs.

Treating marijuana the same as alcohol is impossible for several reasons. There are no measurements for marijuana impairment that relate across the board to how we understand alcohol impairment.

The Far-Reaching, Positive Impact of Workplace Drug Testing

Given that the United States represents 5 percent of the world's population and consumes 60 percent of the world's supply of illicit drugs, drug testing can be seen as an investment against the cost of low productivity.

Ohio Auditor Warns Opioid Abuse Straining Safety Net

"Medicaid is the safety net for our most-needy Ohioans," Auditor Dave Yost said. "That safety net is being stretched thin by the thousands of people who have lost their jobs, their health insurance, and are in desperate need of care. As much as we've done in Ohio to curb this epidemic, more needs to be done."



Hawaii Governor to Veto Motorcycle Bill

Gov. David Ige plans to veto HB 2589, a bill that would authorize the state Department of Transportation to allow two-wheeled motorcycles to drive in designated shoulder lanes. Ige said the bill would compromise road safety and create more dangers for operators of all vehicles.

Reasonable suspicion drug testing is a critical safety measure.

Oklahoma Voters Pass Medical Marijuana Measure

Opponents had warned that the wording of State Question 788 is so broad that its passage would effectively legalize recreational use, as well.

SAMHSA Updates Toolkit to Help Prevent Opioid Deaths

The toolkit recommends that naloxone be made available to first responders and others who might respond to a possible overdose.

GHSA and Responsibility.org Award Grants to Address Drug-Impaired Driving

Idaho, Minnesota, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont will receive nearly $100,000 to provide training, information, and skills to detect drivers under the influence of drugs.

SAMHSA Offers Opioids Treatment Grants to Hard-Hit States

Thirty-five states and tribal organizations nationwide are eligible to apply. SAMHSA says the desired outcomes of the grant program are to increase the number of people receiving medication-assisted treatment for their opioid use disorder and a decrease in heroin use and prescription opioid misuse.

The DOT drug testing panel change affects not only the 6.3 million DOT drug tests that are projected to occur this year on covered employees and candidates, but also how employers address prescription drug use in the workplace beyond DOT positions.

Prescription Drugs and Safety Warnings: The Impact for Providers and Employers

Employers can and should test employees for illegal prescription drug use and illicit drug abuse. Further, employers may test job applicants pre-employment and continue to monitor for abuse in the workplace.

If there is reasonable suspicion to test and trained managers have determined that testing should be conducted, then the testing still should occur regardless of the employee

Top Ten Mistakes Employers Make When Conducting Workplace Drug and Alcohol Testing

Many workplace drug and alcohol testing policies do not define "refusing to test" and provide no disciplinary consequences for it. This is a serious mistake.

Minnesota Fentanyl Deaths Soared in 2017

"This dramatic increase shows that the opioid epidemic in Minnesota has also become a fentanyl public health crisis," said Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm. "These data confirm that Minnesotans addicted to opioids may unknowingly be exposing themselves to far greater and more deadly risks than they know."

Analysis Finds Workforce Drug Positivity at Highest Rate in a Decade

Analysis Finds Workforce Drug Positivity at Highest Rate in a Decade

The national positivity rate for the combined American workforce remained at 4.2 percent in 2017, the same rate as 2016 but an increase over the 3.5 percent positivity rate from 2012, a 30-year low. Quest Diagnostics' analysis also suggests changing patterns of drug use, with cocaine, amphetamines, and marijuana positivity rising in some areas of the United States and prescription opiate positivity rates declining nationally.

2018 SHRM Conference Includes Sessions on Rx Overuse, Workplace Depression

The June 17-20 conference will include more than 230 concurrent sessions on topics such as prescription drug overuse, workplace depression, bullying and harassment, workplace violence, health care reform, financial wellness for young workers, and more.

Random Drug Screening Urged for FECA Program Patients

During a Capitol Hill hearing May 8 on the opioid epidemic's implications for the Federal Employees' Compensation Act, one witness said the program must build an approach that includes random screening for all patients who are prescribed opioids.

Michigan Reports Progress Against Opioid Use

The number of opioid prescriptions issued in 2071 was 10.7 percent below the number in 2015, and the overall number of schedules 2-5 controlled substance prescriptions dispensed fell by 7.1 percent during the same period.

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