News

By Robert Preidt, HealthDay

"Too many people in our country and in our communities are still dying from opioid-related overdoses," said Dr. Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "We must and can do a better job of getting naloxone in the hands of people who really need it, and those likely to be nearby when an overdose occurs."

By E.J. Mundell, HealthDay

Across the United States and Canada, people are buying cocaine only to discover too late that it contains potentially deadly fentanyl, a new report warns.

By: Drug Enforcement Agency

This NPRM does not change the mandatory use of the Clearinghouse, due to begin on January 6, 2020, for drivers, employers, consortia/third-party administrators (C/TPAs), medical review officers (MROs), and substance abuse professionals (SAPs).

ASAP is exhibiting at EAPA September 24-27, Booth #410. Stop by and see us. We can help answer questions about the Clearinghouse coming in January 2020.

Join the 2019 global gathering of employee assistance professionals, to be held at the magnificent and unique St. Louis Union Station Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri. Attendees come from thirty five countries around the world. This is the most intensive and comprehensive learning and networking opportunity dedicated to the growth of the employee assistance profession. 

Tuesday September 17th-

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on Aug. 14 issued a long-awaited proposal to make changes to its hours-of-service rules that would increase truck drivers’ flexibility with their 30-minute rest break and with allocating time in a sleeper berth.

Recently, the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued guidelines for Federal prosecutors in states that have enacted laws authorizing the use of “medical marijuana.” http://www.justice.gov/opa/documents/medical-marijuana.

By Eduardo Romano, Tara Kelley-Baker, Staci Hoff, Angela Eichelberger, Anthony Ramírez.

According to a roadside survey conducted in Washington State, 14.1% of drivers with children in the car -- nearly one in seven -- tested positive for THC, the principal psychoactive compound in marijuana. The results are published in the latest issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

By National Institute on Drug Abuse

Query plans will be available for purchase on the Clearinghouse website in fall 2019.

For many employers it can be a stressful and confusing time when an employee tests positive on a DOT mandated drug or alcohol test.  Does the employer now have to “DO” anything?  Must the employee be fired?  How long will the driver be out?  Can the driver be re-hired?  The key is to precisely follow the DOT regulations in order to handle the situation correctly and maintain regulatory compliance.

By ASAP

To ensure you are prepared on January 6, 2020, when the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse (Clearinghouse) becomes operational, we want to remind you about an upcoming change related to recording information on the Federal Drug Testing Custody and Control Form (CCF) and Alcohol Testing Form (ATF). 

By Mike Adams, Forbes

By Valentina Sanchez, CNBC

By Matt Cole, Overdrive

By Katelyn Newman, US News

By Transport Topics

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s update to its Medical Examiners Handbook is a step closer to completion. The handbook serves as a guideline for physicians who use it to assess truck driver health.

By American Automobile Association Newsroom

By Neil Abt, American Trucker

By Quest Diagnostics

Clearinghouse launched a new FAQs page with more than 50 questions and answers. The page is now searchable, by topic or user type. If you are unable to find the answer you are looking for or if you have additional questions you can also email the Clearinghouse- clearinghouse@dot.gov .

On June 20, 2019 a Federal Register Notice and Request for Comments was published concerning FMCSA Agency Information Collection Activities. The Clearinghouse implementation is set for January 2020 and no data has been collected.

By Matt Cole, Overdrive