October marks the second annual National Substance Abuse Prevention Month – an observance to highlight the vital role of substance abuse prevention in both individual and community health and to remember those who have lost their lives to alcohol and drugs.

The U.S. House of Representatives has unanimously passed two bills aimed at fighting opioid abuse and its harmful effects. One bill would reauthorize federal funding to states for prescription drug monitoring programs, while the other would create uniform standards for diagnosing and treating newborns exposed to opioids.

A new survey has found that more than three out of every four U.S. dentists ask their patients about illegal drug use.

The poll also found that more than half of dentists believe they should conduct drug screening of new patients.

Our new training, written by, Reed Morrison, Ph. D., President & CEO of ASAP,  "Epigenetics of Substance Use Disorders: An Introduction for the Curious SAP" is now available on our training portal. Earn 6 CEUs and learn about the role epigenetics plays in treatment options.

Marijuana is the most common illicit substance used by pregnant women, with prevalence as high as 30% in some communities. With the advent of marijuana's legalization in several U.S. states, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has published its position on use of this agent during pregnancy and breast-feeding.

There are millions of Americans whose lives have been transformed through recovery. Since these successes often go unnoticed by the broader population, Recovery Month provides a vehicle for everyone to celebrate these accomplishments. Each September, tens of thousands of prevention, treatment, and recovery programs and facilities around the country celebrate National Recovery Month. They speak about the gains made by those in recovery and share their success stories with their neighbors, friends, and colleagues.

Only a few days left before our new training launches- Are you ready?  If you take- "Survey of Psychoactive Drugs: Alcohol" during August, you can earn 20% off our  NEXT new training in September- "Epigenetics of Substance Use Disorders: An Introduction for the Curious SAP" Don't miss out!

Laura Dashner, LCSW, SAP, SAE, COO & Executive VP at ASAP, is providing DOT SAP Qualification training (12 CEUs)  at LIC5 on October 8-9, sign up today! The Lifestyle Intervention Conference provides educational content while building a network of resources for providers who serve those struggling with drug, alcohol and process addictions as well as food disorders and now a special focus on workplace intervention. lifestyleintervention.org

This September, in addition to the Cape Cod Symposium on Addictive Disorders Conference, you will also have an opportunity to attend a  6 hour DOT SAP Refresher on Thursday September 10th, taught by Nicole Hanratty.

National Health Center Week 2015 will take place this summer, August 9th- 15th. National Health Center Week has been celebrated for more than 30 years to recognize the services and contributions of Community, Migrant, Homeless and Public Housing Health Centers.

The National Safety Council (NSC) is calling on employers to develop workplace policies around the use of opioid prescription painkillers after reviewing research and court cases showing the negative impacts of these medicines can have on employee safety and worke

Join Laura Dashner in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Bellagio on October 8-9th for a Post-Conference Event. This training is designed to provide the student with the information required by the Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations and prepare the student for the qualification examination. The course content will cover the nine requirements for training as detailed in the regulations and will conclude with a quiz covering the course materials.

More than 20 states have legalized marijuana use for various medical conditions. To explore the evidence for medical marijuana efficacy, researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 79 trials that involved 6462 patients. Four studies were judged to be at low risk of bias, whereas 55 studies were judged to be at high risk, mostly because of incomplete outcomes reporting.

Powdered alcohol was approved in March by U.S. regulators but some states have already banned it, the poll's authors said. The products, which will be sold in pouches, will be available in flavors such as vodka, rum and mixed drinks.

Coping with substance abuse and dependence is a big enough challenge on its own, but balancing both an addiction and a career can pose an even bigger struggle. The impact of drug abuse on workplaces is astronomical. So what are the patterns of substance use across America’s industries?

People often think that prescription and OTC drugs are safer than illicit drugs, but that’s only true when they are taken exactly as prescribed and for the purpose intended. Deaths from opioid pain relievers exceed those from all illegal drugs.

Addressing chronic drug addiction among unemployed and economically disadvantaged adults is a daunting challenge. Employment is critical in addressing the poverty and economic disadvantage; however, controlled research suggests that employment could play a valuable role in treating drug addiction as well. Contrary to common conceptions, employment alone may not have robust effects on drug use. Employment may have greatest effects on drug use when it is used by employers as an incentive to promote drug abstinence.

Even in one of the country’s most marijuana-friendly states, smoking pot off the job and away from work can still get an employee fired.

New research presented at the American Psychiatric Association's 168th Annual Meeting explored how cultural differences can influence the diagnosis of common mental illnesses, including depression, mania and psychosis. Jhilam Biswas, M.D., was inspired to conduct this research by debates over whether "major psychiatric diagnoses are universal versus unique across culture."

On June 1st, the DOT released a PDF of the updated Employer Handbook. If you employ safety-sensitive workers who must have Department of Transportation (DOT) drug and alcohol tests, or you manage a DOT drug or alcohol testing program, this publication can help you understand how to run a program that meets DOT requirements.

The proposed rules would allow federal agencies to collect and test oral fluid specimens as part of their drug-testing programs.

“American workers are increasingly testing positive for workforce drug use across almost all workforce categories and drug test specimen types. In the past, we have noted increases in prescription drug positivity rates, but now it seems illicit drug use may be on the rise, according to our data,” said Dr. Barry Sample, Director, Science and Technology, Quest Diagnostics Employer Solutions.

Help Save Lives and Prevent Injuries

Laura Dashner, COO & Executive VP at ASAP will be speaking on June 4th. Employer Intervention: Protecting the Workplace by Saving Lives.