Post-Accident Drug Testing

June 26, 2014 Alcohol Testing, Drug Testing, Drug-free Workplace, UncategorizedAdam BellLeave a comment

Post-Accident Drug Testing is performed after an employee is involved in an accident of some kind. Non-DOT employers may require employees to submit to post-accident drug tests as are stipulated by their drug testing policy. Employees that are regulated by the Department of Transportation are required to submit to a DOT Post-Accident urine drug and/or breath alcohol tests under certain circumstances. The following are the requirements as required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

FMCSA Post Accident Tree

Under DOT regulations the alcohol test should be conducted within two hours and the drug test should be conducted within 32 hours of the accident. If the alcohol test is not conducted within two hours, the employer should continue to make an effort to have the driver tested for up to eight hours. If a drug test is not conducted within 32 hours of the accident, the employer shall cease any attempt to administer a drug test. If either test is not performed in the allotted timeframe the employer should prepare and maintain a record on file stating why the test was not administered within the allotted timeframe.

For more information on why post-accident drug testing is important and how it can help your business please feel free to contact us.

Conquer Addiction with Rapid Detox

June 20, 2014 Addiction, Drug Education, Drug Testing, Drug-free WorkplaceAdam BellLeave a comment

When speaking of rehab the first thing that usually comes to mind is detox. Chills, sweats, headaches, vomiting, diarrhea and shakes are all symptoms of detox. Not to mention the emotional and mental affects detox has. What if you had another option to skip all of the horrible symptoms of detox? Well now you do.

There is something called the Waismann Method. This professional and private facility performs what they like to call Rapid Detox. Rapid Detox is a safer and more humane way to detox. During Rapid Detox you are put under moderate anesthesia in the ICU of an accredited hospital, and are monitored by an board certified anesthesiologist and pain management specialist. The procedure lasts about 60-90 minutes. Every procedure performed, is tailored to each and every person individually. Patients who undergo Rapid Detox stay in the hospital after their procedure an average of 2-4 days. Waismann also offers an aftercare facility called Domus Retreat instead of the patient staying in a motel or hotel. Domus is private and the staff specializes in opiate addiction.

The price for the Waismann Rapid Detox and post care at Domus ranges from $15,800 to $22,800. This includes 5 to 10 days inpatient, private rooms, full professional care and supervision. The Waismann Method has been practiced for over 15 years now with a very high success rate. Treating people from all over the world with customized care for each individual.

New Medical Device for Overdose Victims

June 20, 2014 Addiction, Drug Testing, Drug-free WorkplaceAdam BellLeave a comment

Loved ones of those struggling with drug addiction have a new tool to fight drug overdoses. The Food and Drug Administration this spring gave marketing approval to a new medical device that injects a different drug to counteract the effects of heroin and other opioids. The approval would give family members the ability to act quickly to save a life – even before medical help arrives.

When drug addicts overdose on heroin or prescription opioids, their heart rate and breathing can slow or even stop, causing death. While the addict experiences a euphoric effect, the drug is binding to receptors in the brain that control functions such as breathing. Many addicts die because they’ve stopped breathing. A different drug, Naloxone, can counteract opioids’ effects by blocking opioids from connecting to receptors in the brain. But historically, Naloxone has been administered by paramedics at the scene or by doctors in a hospital emergency room. When an addict overdoses, time can mean the difference between life or death. An injection given by a family member or friend who finds the addict can start the medical treatment right away. “When Naloxone works, the results can be dramatic: Comatose patients can wake up in minutes,” Dr. David Throckmorton, deputy director for regulatory programs in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Re search wrote in a blog post following the agency’s approval of the device.

The new medical device, called Evzio, was developed by Richmond, Va. company kaleo Pharma. Evzio works more quickly and simply than standard syringes. The pre-filled device is the first of its kind for administering Naloxone, though it is comparable to an Epi-Pen, a different auto-injector that people can use to quickly administer epinephrine in the event of a severe allergic reaction. In order to deliver a Naloxone injection to an addict, the caregiver would simply need to hold the cell phone-sized device to the addict’s thigh. It even works over clothing.

The Drug Policy Alliance, a group that advocates on drug policy, reports that heroin deaths account for more than 26,000 U.S. deaths a year and the trend is rising. The group welcomed the device as an additional tool for administering Naloxone, also called Narcan. But the group said other delivery methods may be more affordable. The Drug Policy Alliance also cautioned that addicts who receive Evzio injections would still need professional medical attention and family members should call 911.

Evzio received FDA marketing approval in April – more than two months ahead of the expected approval decision date thanks to an accelerated approval process for products that fulfill unmet medical needs. Kaleo has not yet disclosed its timeline for launching sales of the device, which would be available by prescription. For more information on drug addiction issues contact us.

Drug Abuse in Senior Adults

June 6, 2014 Addiction, Drug Education, Drug Testing, Drug-free WorkplaceAdam BellLeave a comment

When asked to visualize a typical drug addict, people often imagine some misguided Millennial, glass-eyed and needle-scarred, wasting her youth and her body in an ignominious alley. Or they may picture an unkempt bum, swaddled in a mishmash of mismatched rags, swaying and slurring as he panhandles on a downtown sidewalk. They may think of an unfortunate veteran who never really made it back from the war, a musclebound thug covered in gang ink, or a greasy conman slithering in a smoke-damp barroom. Despite the fact that addiction does not discriminate, stereotypes remain.

In part because these stereotypes are so persistent, few people associate drug addiction with their grandparents. Nevertheless, statistics show senior citizens becoming addicted to anti-anxiety medications and opioids at an alarming rate. A study conducted by the Administration on Aging predicted a 100% increase in the misuse of prescription drugs by older Americans by 2020.

How did pain pills and benzodiazepines become trending drugs in the US, and why are seniors misusing them? An investigation by USA Today indicated that a combination of over-medication on the part of doctors and increased health problems among the elderly were major contributing factors. On the one hand, senior citizens undergo more surgeries and struggle with more anxiety disorders than the rest of the population. On the other hand, some doctors seem entirely too willing to rely on frequently abused prescription medications to treat these patients’ ailments. In the last five years, opioid and benzodiazepine prescriptions for people 65 and older have risen by 20 and 12%, respectively, according to USA Today’s findings.

Another part of the problem may stem from the fact that Baby Boomers comprise much of today’s senior-citizen population. The Boomers’ proclivity for drug use in the 1960s and ‘70s may have predisposed many of them to drug-seeking behavior in their later years. Moreover, groups such as the Administration on Aging and The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence agree that doctors are more willing to write prescriptions – including prescriptions for controlled substances – for older patients.

Fortunately, treatment is available for seniors who struggle with substance abuse: Some rehabilitation centers focus on or work exclusively with the elderly population. Open communication and drug screening can help seniors and their families to identify the problem and find the help they need.

Alcohol Use Disorder

May 30, 2014 Alcohol Education, Drug-free WorkplaceAdam BellLeave a comment

Despite the fact that you can buy it at almost any gas station, grocery store, or restaurant – and despite the fact that it is as common an accompaniment to many American dinners as a glass of water – alcohol is a drug. Alcohol use may be socially acceptable, but alcohol abuse can have devastating consequences.

According to the CDC, nearly 88,000 deaths can be attributed to alcohol abuse each year. Moreover, the long-term heath risks associated with alcohol abuse are staggering – excessive alcohol use can cause neurological, psychiatric, gastrointestinal, and cardiovascular problems. Liver diseases and cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, colon, liver, and breast have also been linked to alcohol abuse.

In spite of these risks, more than 88% of Americans over the age of 18 reported that they drank alcohol. Perhaps more significantly,almost 25% of Americans over the age of 18 said that they took part in binge drinking (defined as consuming 5 or more alcoholic beverages on a single occasion) in the past month. Finally, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has estimated that approximately 17 million Americans have an Alcohol Use Disorder (a term that includes both alcoholism and harmful drinking).

Although it does not have a single, defining cause, Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a disease. AUD is thought to result from a combination of genetic, environmental, and psychological factors. Low self-esteem; anxiety, depression, and other psychological disorders; and genetic influences can all predispose a person to developing AUD. Signs of AUD include drinking alone, drinking as a means of escaping reality, drinking with the intent of becoming intoxicated, and continuing to drink despite facing negative consequences (loss of employment, fractured relationships, legal problems, etc.) as a result of drinking.

While AUD has no known cure, it can be treated in a number of ways. Individual and group therapy, inpatient and outpatient detox and rehabilitation, medical (pharmaceutical) treatment, support group attendance, and drug testing are all effective options. Moreover, clear communication and effective supervision by parents have been shown to demonstrably reduce alcohol abuse among teens.

Heroin use makes a new surge

May 30, 2014 Drug Education, Drug-free WorkplaceAdam BellLeave a comment

Although trending drugs in the US often have modern street names, there is a familiar presence making itself felt in drug crisis centers. A number of factors have combined to make heroin a more attractive drug of choice, not only in the back allies and nightclubs of America’s cities, but in the suburbs and in military circles.

According to Nick Miroff of the Washington Post, there are two main reasons why this is happening.

The wholesale price of Marijuana has dropped because of the legality of recreational and medical marijuana, making it unprofitable for Mexican drug farmers to cultivate marijuana, and increasing the incentive to market the more lucrative opium products.
With the crackdown on prescription pain-killer abuse, heroin is a cost-effective replacement. The Mexican drug cartels have found a receptive market for needle-based drugs in the homes of retiring baby-boomers who are aging, and in search of relief from pain. This augments existing markets for heroin. Other Ibero-American markets are responding in a similar fashion.

Although 90% of the heroin in the U.S. comes from south of the border, another hot-spot for heroin use that is connected to the United States is the poppy fields of Afghanistan, where American soldiers are exposed to this highly-addictive drug. This segment is highly under-reported, perhaps because illegal drug use by a U.S. soldier is a crime, and will result in dishonorable discharge. In his article forPsychiatric Times, Dr. Andrew J. Saxon discusses the high relationship between common head injuries and exposure to opiates as a pain killer, resulting in unreported addiction that can manifest when the soldier returns to the civilian population. This manifestation can often take years to emerge, when treatment is much more difficult.

Writing for Salon, Shaun McCanna describes how easy it is for an American to purchase Heroin in the Afghan markets just outside the military bases, and he suggests that an addiction problem, as well as a supply problem, is escaping the attention of regulatory forces. Afghanistan, he says, is the source of 90% of the world’s heroin.

It is rumored that much of the Afghanistan crop is being stockpiled, and that Russia and Europe are currently the main targets of this market. Nonetheless, this is a significant cradle for American addiction, and McCanna claims that a soldier’s purchase of a $30 bag can bring hundreds of dollars on the streets of any American city.

With these sources of heroin open to U.S. markets, the American cities have noticed, as well. Andrew Welsh-Huggins, writing for Associated Press, notes that several states, specifically California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana and Massachusetts, have expressed particular alarm at the growing number of deaths specifically related to heroin across all age groups.

Opiate Addiction and Treatment

May 15, 2014 Addiction, Drug Education, Drug Testing, Drug-free WorkplaceAdam BellLeave a comment

What is Opiate Drug Addiction and How is it Treated?

Opiate drug addiction can occur when pain medication prescribed by a physician are abused and taken in dosages beyond the prescribed amount. It can also occur when a person takes illegal, recreational narcotics, such as heroin.

One of the big problems with opiate drug addiction is that the addict’s ability to produce natural pain killers, called endorphins, is suppressed by blocking pain receptors that causes them to be produced. The addict is more prone to pain, which caused him or her to seek more drugs to suppress that pain, setting up a vicious cycle. Without treatment the addiction can result in overdose followed by death.

Addiction can result from prescription pain killers in some cases. Someone is prescribed an opiate, such as Vicodin or Oxycotin to handle a sports injury and find him or herself still taking the drug long after the initial injury has been healed, thanks to the vicious cycle of pain followed by more medication followed by more pain. Prescription drug addiction has become a major problem, according to the Department of Justice. It is estimated that 36 million Americans have abused prescription drugs, including opiates, at least once in their lives.

According to WebMD, withdrawals from opiate drug addiction can be hard to endure and is a leading cause of relapse. During a gradual detoxification program, certain drugs, such as methadone, are used to suppress the drug craving symptoms without providing the euphoria related to opiates. The dosage of these drugs is gradually decreased as the patient is freed from the physical dependency to the drug. There are also rapid detoxification procedures that involve the patient being given powerful opiate blocking drugs while being placed under general anesthesia. This procedure is not considered more effective than the more traditional kinds of detox and can be more dangerous.

For more information contact us!

Barbiturates 101: What you need to know!

May 15, 2014 Drug Education, Drug Testing, Drug-free WorkplaceAdam BellLeave a comment

Overview

The barbiturates (“downers”) class of drugs are central nervous system (CNS) depressants known as sedative-hypnotics. In small doses they reduce anxiety and induce sleep, while larger doses can bring on unconsciousness and even death. Throughout the 1960s and1970s barbiturates were widely prescribed for insomnia, but they have been replaced by benzodiazepines—such as Xanax and Valium—as these are much safer.

The common drugs in this class are Amytal Sodium, Butisol Sodium, Luminal, Nembutal Sodium, Phenobarbital and Seconal. The drug methaqualone, marketed as Quaaludes, is a barbiturate-like sedative-hypnotic initially developed as a “safer” alternative to barbiturates, but is not technically a barbiturate itself. Barbiturates are considered to be a dangerous class of drugs because the dose that causes sedation is perilously close to the dose that causes coma and death; this is referred to as a low therapeutic window.

Effects

Barbiturates are abused for their inebriating and euphoric effects; many people describe the “high” of low doses as similar to that of mild alcohol intoxication. Less desirable effects can include memory loss, impaired thinking and respiratory depression, which can progress to respiratory arrest and death.

At higher doses a person may exhibit slurred speech and loss of coordination similar to the effects of a high level of alcohol intoxication. Hostility and anxiety are common effects of larger doses, as is difficulty staying awake.

Signs and Symptoms of Abuse

When regularly abusing barbiturates a person may show signs of agitation and irritability, slurred speech and the inability to think clearly. Reckless and violent behavior are commonplace, as is drowsiness and dizziness.

Physical symptoms of barbiturate abuse include frequent infections, especially in the respiratory tract, decreased blood pressure, high fevers and kidney problems.

Incidence, Prevalence and Trends in Use

The use of barbiturates has been decreasing since the late 1970s. According to Science in Context, beginning in 2000 barbiturate use had declined so significantly that researchers no longer compiled separate statistics for the drug. Barbiturates were instead placed in the sedative category that included tranquilizers.

There is a dearth of statistical data for this class of drugs, but it is known that approximately 9% of individuals in the United States will abuse a barbiturate during their lifetime. Although some barbiturate medications are still prescribed to treat seizure disorders, overall use continues to decline.

If you’re interested in finding out more about barbiturates or other drugs, or if you have questions about drug testing, please contact us.

Background Checks

May 15, 2014 Background TestingAdam BellLeave a comment

The Benefits of Employment Background Checks

Conducting employment background checks has become standard practice for most companies. Background checks have become a valuable asset in allowing an employer to know an individual’s true history prior to extending a job offer. Thus, saving customers, human resources, supervisors, co-workers and ultimately the company many headaches, worries and in many cases an increased bottom line.

The very fact that your company is conducting a background check will serve to discourage people who are trying to get employment under false pretenses. A background check ascertains the accuracy of the information that has been submitted by the applicant.

Checking an applicant’s education and employment record is vital in order to confirm whether or not he or she is as qualified for the position as advertised. This can also be a source of great embarrassment and liability if someone is hired for a position he or she is not capable of filling due to lack of education and work experience.

Laws governing a criminal background check tend to vary from state to state and a lot of information is limited to the most recent seven years old is unavailable. Many companies inspect criminal convictions, driving violations involving a company vehicle, sex offender information, and civil lawsuits. When a background check is combined with a comprehensive drug and alcohol testing program, a company provides its customers, clients and employees with the peace of mind they deserve. Contact us to learn more about background or drug and alcohol testing.

Drug Addiction: Don’t lose hope!

April 30, 2014 Addiction, Drug Education, Drug Testing, Drug-free WorkplaceAdam BellLeave a comment

How can Drug Rehab/Treatment Help an Addict?

When you watch a loved one suffer through the different stages of addiction and see them struggle with staying clean and embracing a new life in recovery, you may think this will never be over.

Please do not give up. They can recover.

The addict in your life may not have found the right Drug Rehab/Treatment program yet. Or they may not be done with their days of using yet. Unfortunately, until they are ready to completely commit themselves to abandoning their old way of life, they will not be capable of fully investing themselves in what it takes to get clean and sober and actually take the first step on the road to recovery.

Frustrating is probably an understatement when describing the rollercoaster of emotions you, as someone who loves an addict, has experienced as you watch them engage in the selfish, impulsive self-destruction. The addict in your life may tell you they want to recover, however, it may seem to you that this is not true.

Perhaps it would help you better understand the contradiction between their spoken words and their actions if you consider the definition of addiction.

“Addiction is a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory and related circuitry. Addiction is characterized by inability to consistently abstain, impairment in behavioral control, craving, diminished recognition of significant problems with one’s behaviors and interpersonal relationships, and a dysfunctional emotional response,” excerpted from ASAM’s Short Definition of Addiction.

Hopefully this makes the stark reality that addiction is a chronic disease and the behaviors associated with it are not logical and often unintentionally hurtful. The addict cannot just stop using and magically recover no matter how much they want to or try. It does take a commitment on their part to invest in their future and manage the condition of their chronic disease. A network of support and the right Drug Rehab/Treatment program will help most addicts take the first step on the journey to recovery .

Please contact us to learn more about how to help the addict you love find a Drug Rehab/Treatment program.