The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) released the National Drug Threat Assessment for 2024 in May and its findings are certainly concurrent with what we’re seeing take place across the United States. There is a definite change from plant-based drugs to synthetic drugs. Fentanyl and methamphetamine continue to destroy lives at an alarming rate. Overdose deaths, Read more »
Rhino Tranq Barrels into U.S. Drug Culture
The Center for Forensic Science Research and Education (CFSRE) in Horsham, Philadelphia partners with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health and tests illicit drugs. In late April, the center discovered medetomidine in the confiscated street drugs tested. Rhino tranq is what this hard-hitting sedative is called on the street and it’s even more powerful than Read more »
What is the DOT Chain of Custody?
The Department of Transportation outlines the process that all safety-sensitive employers must follow regarding drug testing. Employers of the safety-sensitive workforce must adhere strictly to the DOT chain of custody process, as should everyone who handles the specimens submitted for the DOT drug test. Making things even more concrete, collectors, lab techs, and MROs record Read more »
Poppy Seeds and Positive Drug Tests
There’s been an argument going back and forth for years, since the early days of drug testing, in fact, that eating poppy seeds before a drug test can cause someone to test positive for morphine. Over the last decade or so, reputable medical sites, such as Medical News Today and Healthline, have banded together in Read more »
Duties of a DOT DER
The Department of Transportation (DOT) regulates the employers of the safety-sensitive workforce. For instance, every company regulated under the DOT has at least one Designated Employer Representative (DER). The DOT DER oversees the employee drug and alcohol testing program. They adhere to the specifics of the DOT. You can be sure employers of the safety-sensitive Read more »
Psychotropic Medication Overdoses Rising
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), one in five adults in the United States struggle with a mental health condition. Psychotropic drugs are considered an answer to that problem. They affect behavior, mood, thought, and perception. The category encompasses a wide range of medications prescribed to improve a patient’s mental health. Physicians Read more »
Substance Abuse Takes a Toll on the Workplace
Substance abuse disrupts the workplace in many ways. An employee’s job performance is the first tell-tale sign, however, the fact that it’s caused by drug use may go unnoticed for a time. Eventually, though, unless the employee quits their job and moves on—a likely scenario—the issue comes to light. Drug use causes cognitive, behavioral, and Read more »
How Long Does Marijuana Stay in Your System?
Metabolism is a constantly occurring process within every cell of your body. It’s necessary to maintain life. The body metabolizes everything put in it whether it’s life-sustaining or not. For instance, your body metabolizes the THC in marijuana. Marijuana metabolites stow away in your body anywhere from a few days to over a month. How Read more »