By the end of this year, more than three dozen communities across the country will have begun participation in a national initiative designed to bring together a diversity of stakeholders to solve local problems related to addiction.

More U.S. workers tested positive for cocaine and methamphetamine in 2017, according to numbers from Quest Diagnostics. The company analyzed more than 10 million drug tests. The increase was especially evident in certain parts of the nation.

In spring 2018, Congress added an additional $500 million to the NIH budget to invest in science to find solutions to the opioid crisis. The Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) initiative is being kicked off today with the announcement of several bold projects across NIH, focused on two main areas: improving opioid addiction treatments and enhancing pain management to prevent addiction and overdose.

More people now die from overdosing on synthetic opioids – mainly fentanyl – than prescription painkillers, according to a recent study.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health, is pleased to announce that lofexidine, the first medication for use in reducing symptoms associated with opioid withdrawal in adults, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Lofexidine, an oral tablet, is designed to manage the symptoms patients often experience during opioid discontinuation.

ASAP is going to New Orleans and will be at Booth 602, so stop by and visit!

Join your colleagues and industry experts for the industry’s premier educational event. With Over 800 attendees, 85 exhibitors, 25 educational sessions, and pre- and post-conference trainings this is your one-stop shop for staying current on what’s happening in the drug and alcohol testing industry. Learn More

A provision of Maine’s recreational marijuana law prohibits employers from taking adverse employment actions for off-premises marijuana use, as of February 1, 2018. This law effectively prevents Maine employers from testing for marijuana for pre-employment purposes.  The law also affects employers who employ employees subject to federal drug and alcohol testing regulations as well as those employers who are exempt from complying with Maine’s drug testing law.

One of the pillars of the current federal initiatives to end the opioid crisis is the development of new medications to treat opioid addiction. Currently we have three approved drugs—methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone—in a growing number of formulations, including some that are extended-release (long acting). But not all patients respond to the existing medications, and each patient has unique needs.

On August 8, 2017, the Office of Management and Budget approved a revised Federal Drug Testing Custody and Control Form (CCF) and authorized the continued use of the `old CCF’ until June 30, 2018. 

DOT regulated employers and their service agents (collectors, laboratories, Medical Review Officers) may not use the `old CCF’ for DOT mandated drug test collections after June 30, 2018.

What is the difference between the revised and ‘old’ CCF?

Ohio's employers are asking what they should do about the opioid problem in their own workplaces. The Ohio Chamber of Commerce convened a task force to explore the options. One recommendation coming out of the task force was for employers to be armed with a toolkit of resources to be better prepared to prevent and respond to the problem.

The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day addresses a crucial public safety and public health issue. According to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 6.4 million Americans abused controlled prescription drugs. The study shows that a majority of abused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet.

Driving is a complex task that requires integrity of sensory, motor, and cognitive function. The driving task may be compromised by factors related to the vehicle, the driving environment, and the driver.

A person from Central Maryland was hospitalized for extreme bleeding after using synthetic marijuana — the first such case in Maryland, poison control officials said Thursday.

The person, who was not identified because of privacy laws, went to an emergency room April 3 after experiencing unusual bruising and bleeding from several parts of the body, said Bruce Anderson, executive director of the Maryland Poison Center at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy. The person was treated for bleeding and coagulation issues.

Since January 1^st, we have required confirmation testing for 14 drugs under a 5‑panel test.  Broken out, here is what DOT drug testing looks like:

ASAP is going to "Soar To New Heights" as they travel to Reno, Nevada on April 16-18th. Stop by and visit us at booth 610. Enhance your education and boost your professional development this spring from networking to professional development workshops, concurrent sessions and inspiring keynotes, the 2018 National Conference will provide an experience like no other. 

Every year on March 17, people from all over the world celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. In the United States, 127 million people – or 53 percent of the country – plan to celebrate. In 2015, millions of people spent $4.6 billion on St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, in the form of decorations and green garb.

Three shaky months into recovery from heroin addiction, Dariya Pankova found something to ease her withdrawal. A local nonalcoholic bar sold a brewed beverage that soothed her brain and body much as narcotics had. A perfect solution — before it backfired.

Drs. Sean Esteban McCabe, James Cranford, and Carol Boyd.

On Thursday, February 1, 2018, the DOT completed the updates to the Drug and Alcohol testing regulations.

FAA, FMCSA, FRA, FTA and USCG remain at 25% for drug testing, while PMSHA did increase to 50%. 2018 Rates

Interested in some background?

An employee/applicant who has violated a DOT regulation is prohibited from returning to the performance of safety-sensitive functions for any DOT-covered employer until the individual successfully completes the return-to-duty process described in Part 40, Subpart O. The date of the violation has no impact on this requirement. For example, an employer, interviewing an applicant in 2017 who had a positive test in 2012, may assume since the positive test was five years ago, this individual can be hired without ensuring he or she completed the return-to-duty process.

According to a recently released study, an annual increase in the number of trips to hospital emergency rooms as a result of alcohol has steadily risen, with an increase of 61 percent in the number of visits in 2014 as compared to 2006.