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Congratulations to Sandra Serrano, SAPAA President 2020-2021. Sandra has been an active member of the SAPAA Board of Directors since 2016. As a Board member, she has utilized her experience to help further SAPAA’s mission to promote the highest standards of quality and integrity in the field. As the Membership Committee Chairperson, she lead monthly meetings to discuss  goals, benchmarks, and progress. Sandra also serves on the Conference and Government Relations Committees, as well on a sub-committee on the FMCSA Clearinghouse.

By Graham Rapier, Business Insider

American workers subjected to drug tests at work tested positive at the highest rate in 16 years in 2019, according to one of the largest testing providers, despite growing public support for legalized marijuana.

Quest Diagnostics said Tuesday that workforce drug positivity rates hit 4.5% in 2019, the highest since 2003. The company says the coronavirus pandemic — which shows no signs of stopping soon in the US — likely accelerated some substance use.

By Robert Yagoda, US News

We've seen it before, whether on screen or in our own lives: A friend, co-worker, loved one or even an acquaintance can't grapple with day-to-day life, and reaches for something perilously strong in liquid or powder form in order to help them cope. Fade to black.

By Transport Topics

Truck drivers sometimes bear the image of being “tough” and impervious to emotional stresses, a perception that doesn’t always lend itself to open discussions about mental health. But truckers and their employers are working to change that image and pay greater attention to mental health and how it influences workers’ overall well-being — as well as work performance.

The FMCSA Clearinghouse requires employers to conduct annual queries by January 5, 2021. Per § 382.701, employers of CDL drivers must conduct a query of the Clearinghouse at least once per year for each CDL driver they employ.

The annual query requirement is tracked on a rolling 12-month basis. The one-year time frame resets with each query conducted on a driver. For example, if an employer conducted a query for Driver A on July 6, 2020, the employer is not required to query Driver A again until July 7, 2021, to meet the annual query requirement.

By ASAP

When a Department of Transportation (DOT) regulated employee refuses a drug/alcohol test or tests positive, they are required to complete the Return-to-Duty process before returning to safety-sensitive job duties. The first step in the process is to be evaluated by a DOT qualified Substance Abuse Professional (SAP). If you find yourself in this position, how do you prepare? Here is a quick guide from American Substance Abuse Professionals, Inc. (ASAP).

By Sandra LaMotte, CNN

You may love smoking weed, but it does not love your heart, according to the American Heart Association's new scientific statement on marijuana.

By Chuck Robinson, Land Line

Marijuana users, a monthly report from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse has a none-too-subtle warning for you.

By Cristina Commendatore, American Trucker

Although the industry knew the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse was inevitable, less than three months into the new rule, the COVID-19 pandemic hit and created additional confusion.

By: ASAP

By: ASAP

Department of Transportation (DOT)-regulated employees must complete drug and alcohol testing at several points in their employment, including pre-employment, post-accident, and random drug testing, among others. What happens if you fail one of these tests? What are the rules for a positive DOT drug test? Read on to learn more.

By Joe Elia, NEJM Journal Watch

Edited by David G. Fairchild, MD, MPH

New research, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, suggests a potential effect of legalizing recreational cannabis use on traffic-fatality rates.

By: Sean Szymkowski, TuSimple

By Brendan Bures, The French Toast

By: John Gallagher, FreightWaves

Marijuana is by far the drug of choice among drivers testing positive for controlled substances, according to data compiled by the federal Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse.

By: Heavy Duty Trucking Staff

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has issued a temporary waiver letting employers skip pre-employment drug testing for certain drivers as the economy works to recover from COVID-19 shutdowns.

May 2020, FMCSA Clearinghouse put out their first monthly summary report. Some of the highlights are that there have been more than 900,000 inquiries and 20,000 violations reported on the Clearinghouse website, Positive drug tests account for 80% of reported violations. See the full report here.

By: ASAP

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) requires a pre-employment drug test for all safety-sensitive employees. This includes airline workers, school bus drivers, train engineers, truck drivers, and much more. If you fail or refuse a pre-employment DOT drug test, it will hinder your ability to get a safety-sensitive job. You will have to complete a Return-to-Duty program by a DOT-qualified Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) before applying for work.

By American Association of Nurse Anesthetists

As part of the "Year of the Nurse and Midwife" celebration, the American Nurses Association "will expand National Nurses Week, traditionally celebrated from May 6 to May 12 each year, to a month-long celebration in May to expand opportunities to elevate and celebrate nursing." 

YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE

By Rich Holmes, HealthDay Reporter, US News

Marijuana dependence goes hand in hand with poor mental health, and problems may persist long after stopping the drug, according to Canadian researchers.

Nearly half of people who have been or are now dependent on pot have some form of mental illness or dependence on another substance, according to a report this month in the journal Advances in Preventative Medicine. That compares with 8% of people with no history of pot dependence have mental illness or another drug or alcohol addiction.

By: Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

The Spotlight on Opioids assembles opioid-related information from the Surgeon General's Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health into one document to better inform the general public, especially family and friends of people with an elevated risk of opioid overdose, opioid misuse, and/or opioid use disorder.

By: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Purpose of National Prevention Week (Substance Use Prevention) - May 10-16, 2020

The three primary goals of National Prevention Week are to:

- Involve communities in raising awareness of substance use and mental health issues and in implementing prevention strategies, and showcasing effectiveness of evidence-based prevention programs;

By: ASAP

A Department of Transportation (DOT) drug test can occur during many points of employment. You may know what happens when you fail a DOT drug test, but what if you refuse to take it altogether? Will that cost you your job, or can you simply retake the test in the future? In this article, we'll discuss what happens after you refuse to take a DOT drug test.

By: Laura Dashner, ASAP