Drug Free Workplace

December 4, 2013 Drug Testing, Drug-free WorkplaceAdam BellLeave a comment

In 1988, the federal government adopted the Drug Free Workplace Act and required most government contractors and all federal government grantees to comply with it. Since that time, several businesses have established a drug free workplace policy, instituting random drug testing among their employees.

What is a “Drug Free Workplace?”

A Drug Free Workplace is an employment setting where all employees follow a program of policies designed to provide education and treatment for drug abuse occurring with employees and/or their families. The ultimate goal of the program is to increase and ensure safety in the workplace.

The components of the drug free workplace are a

written policy,
availability of assistance,
employee education,
drug testing and
supervisor training.

The Benefits of Establishing a Drug Free Workplace

According to the Council on Alcohol and Drugs, research indicates that approximately 77% of illegal drug users are employed; add in the effects of alcohol abuse and the result is a sizeable segment of the national workforce that is impaired. For the employer, that means unsafe working conditions, loss of productivity and smaller profits, more accidents and higher medical claims expenses. Some states offer a 5% to 10% discount on worker’s compensation premiums for Certified Drug Free Workplaces.

Workers’ performance is also affected by substance abuse in their families. The Council on Alcohol and Drugs reports that in a national telephone survey 26% of employed adults stated there had been substance abuse in their families; 42% of these workers report that they have been unfocused or less productive at work because of it.

If you’d like to learn more about establishing a Drug Free Workplace or about drug testing, please contact us.

Are you loving or enabling?

November 15, 2013 Addiction, Drug-free WorkplaceAdam BellLeave a comment

Chances are you’ve heard the word “enable” to describe the actions of a family member or loved one of someone who has a drug problem. To enable someone means to make it easier for them to continue their drug abuse or addiction, usually by helping them avoid the consequences of their behavior.

Are you enabling a person with a drug problem? Before you read through this list, remember that denial is almost universal. Look at your behavior honestly and objectively; it’s quite common for the “enablers” to think that they’re not doing exactly what they are doing. That said, if you are acting in any of the following ways, you are enabling your loved one to continue abusing drugs, and placing them in danger.

Do you make excuses? For example, you tell yourself that you have to allow your adult child to live in your home and you must give her money because if you do not do these things, she’ll have to live on the streets and will surely die. The truth is, an addict is very likely to die anyway, unless they are arrested or institutionalized first. By providing what your child needs to continue being active in addiction, you are enabling. It may feel like love, but real love means letting your child face the consequences of their actions so they can make a decision to change. This won’t happen if you make using drugs easy.

Do you cover for your loved one at work or school? Another way of making excuses, but in this case you’re not just lying to yourself, you’re lying to other people. Do you call your husband’s boss to say he’s sick, when actually he just can’t get up in the morning because he was out too late drinking the night before? This isn’t the same as being sick, and perhaps losing his job is the one thing that will get him to enter a rehab program. You’re not helping him keep his job; you’re enabling him to drink.

Do you lie to your spouse about your child’s use to protect the child or your spouse from an unpleasant confrontation? You shouldn’t have to go through this alone! Furthermore, you do not have the ability to protect others from the truth, and it’s not your responsibility to do so. (If you’re afraid your spouse will become violent or suffer a breakdown, there are other problems that need to be addressed just as urgently as the drug or alcohol addiction.) By hiding the truth from any part of your family, you’re not preventing problems but merely creating more serious problems by avoiding the inevitable: you are enabling a dangerous situation to continue.

Do you take on extra responsibilities so your loved one won’t have to? Again, this is not loving behavior, it’s enabling behavior. You’re making it easier for the person to focus on their drinking or drug use, and not have to bother with fulfilling normal obligations. This is unkind to both you and the other person: you’re working twice as hard, and your loved one is not functioning like a responsible adult. In a committed relationship, this can create a dynamic in which one partner functions as the “parent” and the other as the “child”: a disastrous and destructive dynamic that will not sustain a relationship. It is very tough to remain lovingly interested in someone who reminds you of your mother or your father or a not-yet-mature kid.

It’s extremely difficult to stop enabling a loved one. It so often seems like the right thing to do; caring and loving and even an effective way to “help”. In reality, enabling behaviors only make the situation worse. It’s like giving a suicidal person a loaded gun.

Questions? Please contact us.

Drug Abuse or Drug Addiction: What’s the difference?

November 7, 2013 Addiction, Drug Testing, Drug-free WorkplaceAdam BellLeave a comment

Sometimes the phrases “drug abuse” and “drug addiction” are used interchangeably, but this is actually an error. Drug Abuse and drug addiction are two entirely different issues; however, they are connected: drug abuse can lead to drug addiction.

According to the most common definitions in use, drug abuse occurs when a person uses an illegal drug to get high or uses a legal drug in a different amount or manner than that which was prescribed. For example, a person with a legitimate prescription for painkillers is abusing the drug if they crush the pills and snort them, rather than taking the prescribed dose orally as directed.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines drug abuse as “excessive use of a drug” or “use of a drug without medical justification.” The University of Maryland Medical Center characterizes drug abuse as the “use of illegal drugs, or the misuse of prescription or over-the-counter drugs for at least a year with negative consequences.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) has dropped the terms “drug abuse” and “substance abuse” in favor of the phrase “harmful use”, focusing on the consequences rather than the action of use. This suggests that not all illegal drug use is abuse; some persons are able to use illegal drugs in a way that does not lead to negative life outcomes.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse defines addiction, also called dependence, as a “chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful effects”. Addiction is referred to as a brain disease because the chronic use of drugs alters the brain structure and functions.

NIDA notes the following as symptoms of addiction: drug taking in larger amounts than planned; inability to reduce drug use despite repeated efforts; a considerable amount of time spent in activities necessary to attain the drug; and repeated use despite knowledge of health or social problems caused by the drug.

Although there are many different definitions of drug abuse, the definition of drug addiction is consistent throughout the literature on the subject. If you’d like to find out more information about abuse, addiction or drug testing, please contact us.

Signs of Drug Abuse

October 31, 2013 Drug Education, Drug Testing, Drug-free WorkplaceAdam BellLeave a comment

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), in 2012 overall drug abuse among young persons ages 12-19 was rising; this was largely due to an increase in marijuana use. Prescription drug abuse has also risen, primarily in the 18-25 year old population. After marijuana and hashish the most abused drugs by high school seniors are synthetic marijuana, Adderall and Vicodin.

People of all races, ages, educational levels and economic statuses use drugs. So how do you know if someone you love—child or adult—is abusing drugs? The most significant indicator is change: change in physical appearance, personality or behavior. Here are some of the specific signs of drug abuse:

Physical

High energy level and/or excessive chattiness
Unusual sleep patterns—sleeping too much, being awake at odd hours or not sleeping for days at a time
Pupils larger or smaller than usual
Tremors or shaking
Runny nose, sniffling
Frequent grinding of teeth or twisting of the jaw back and forth
Several small sores on face
Deterioration of teeth

Behavior and Personality

Change in overall attitude and personality with no other discernible cause
Loss of interest and participation in activities
General lack of motivation and energy
Change in friends
Paranoia
Silliness and giddiness OR moodiness and irritability
Change in personal grooming habits
Unexplained need for money

The specific symptoms associated with the commonly abused drugs above, marijuana and synthetic marijuana, are very different. According to the Partnership for a Drug Free America, signs of synthetic marijuana use include inability to speak, aggression, agitation and excessive sweating. Common signs of non-synthetic marijuana use involve sleepiness, a lack of concentration and coordination, forgetfulness in conversation and increased appetite, especially a craving for sweets.

Every type of drug has different signs and symptoms of its use, and some of these symptoms can look like illnesses such as clinical depression, bipolar disorder or anxiety disorder: it can be difficult to differentiate between drug use and mental illness. If you’d like to find out more information about drug use and drug testing, please contact us.

Is Your Family Protected?

October 25, 2013 Drug Education, Drug Testing, Drug-free WorkplaceAdam BellLeave a comment

According to the a new report from the Trust for America’s Health, the number of people in America who died from taking prescription pain killers doubled in 29 states between 1999 and 2010, and prescription drugs are the most commonly abused substance–after marijuana and alcohol–for Americans ages 14 and older. The same report noted that fatalities from overdose of painkillers outnumber deaths from heroin and cocaine combined.

Prescription drug abuse has been called an “epidemic” in America, with opioid pain killers (Vicodin, Oxycontin) being the most often abused. Other drugs frequently abused are stimulants prescribed to treat Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) including Adderall, Concerta and Ritalin; and central nervous system depressants such as Valium and Xanax.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) defines four ways in which these drugs are abused:

Taking a medication prescribed for someone else
Taking a drug in a higher dosage than prescribed
Taking a drug in a different manner than prescribed (for example, crushing pills and snorting or injecting them) and
Taking a drug to get “high”

When taken as prescribed for a specific mental or physical condition prescription drugs are safe and effective. When they are taken in larger quantities, in a different manner or when no illness or symptoms are present, they affect the brain in the same way that illicit drugs do and cause cravings in the same way that heroin does.

When these prescription drugs are abused, they trigger dangerous physical consequences: Opioids can cause severe constipation and depress breathing; mixing them with alcohol amplifies this effect and can lead to death. Stimulants raise the body’s temperature and cause seizures and heart failure. And CNS depressants slow both the heart rate and respiration, also leading to death when taken in quantities larger than prescribed.

Most deaths caused by prescription drug abuse are due to unintentional overdoses. Over time, a person taking a drug to “get high” will require a larger quantity to achieve the same effect and may not realize they have a dangerously high level of the drug in their system.

If you’re concerned that someone you love is abusing drugs, please contact us. We can answer questions you may have and also provide drug testing kits and supplies.

Are your supervisors trained?

October 16, 2013 Alcohol Testing, Drug Testing, Drug-free Workplace, Training ProgramsAdam BellLeave a comment

According to the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), “Of the 17.2 million illicit drug users aged 18 or older in 2005, 12.9 million (74.8 percent) were employed either full or part time.” OSHA also states that 10-20 percent of work related fatalities test positive for drugs or alcohol.

According to the United States Department of Labor, in 1984, CSX Transportation implemented Operation Redblock, a way of tackling the issue. The program’s 4000 volunteers are trained to confront substance abusers, and if appropriate, refer them to the company’s EAP, or employee assistance program. Since 1990, less than one percent of the drug tests administered to safety-sensitive employees have been positive.

It is obvious training makes a difference. That is why the Department of Transportation (DOT) currently requires their supervisors to obtain a certain amount of hours of training for alcohol and drug use in the workplace. This training not only ensures workplace safety, but also protects the public.

In a training program supervisors will learn how to make correct decisions, maintain adequate documentation, and learn the appropriate steps to perform when an issue is suspected. MedScreens, Inc. offers a reasonable suspicion course that will prepare your supervisors for discerning when a reasonable suspicion test would be appropriate, ensure your compliance with established regulations and decrease your company’s liability.

Why DNA Test?

October 4, 2013 DNA TestingAdam BellLeave a comment

Establishing Identity

Recently, DNA testing has been essential in establishing the identities of more than a couple of bodies. Earlier this month, the remains of a toddler were found in a box in the rafters of an Ohio garage. Through a DNA test, police were able to identify the child as Elaina Steinfurth. She had been missing for three months and had last been seen in the Ohio home where her body was found.

Recently the remains of a 49-year-old victim were able to be identified through DNA testing, even though it has been over twelve years since the September 11th attacks. Authorities have established the identities of 63 percent of the 21,906 remains found at the World Trade Center, mostly through DNA tests. Effort is being made to establish the identities of the other remains. Establishing the identity of is only one reason for DNA testing. Often DNA testing is used to prove or disprove biological relationships.

Paternity Testing

Paternity testing is one of the most common reasons for DNA testing. Fathers who desire to have absolute certainty about the biological relationship of their children often seek out a DNA Paternity test. When it comes to establishing paternity, the sooner the better. The longer a father waits to have a paternity test conducted the greater the potential emotional damage and heartache suffered by both the child and the father could be. Having a paternity test not only protects you from potential pain, but also allows for a father’s guard to be lowered and a true paternal bond to occur. In many cases where the alleged father has uncertainty about this relationship he simply cannot allow himself to fully accept and love this child.

Grand-parentage Testing

In cases where the alleged father is not available, a grandparentage DNA test may be performed. In such cases the paternal grandmother and grandfather will both have to be tested. This test will yield results that resemble a paternity test in that the probability of paternity is either an exclusion or greater than 99%.

Establishing Other Family Relationships

DNA testing can also be used to establish other family relationships. DNA testing has been utilized to establish aunts, uncles, full-siblings, half-siblings and many other family relationships.

The entire process usually only takes about thirty minutes. Walk ins are welcome, and standard results are returned in five – seven business days. The collection process is quick and painless as swabs are used to collect tissue cells on the inside of the donor’s mouth. Contact us with any questions.

Drug Abuse in Sports: A Growing Trend?

September 27, 2013 Drug TestingAdam BellLeave a comment

Given the recent scandals and increased attention to drug abuse in professional sports, “Drug Testing” seems to be in the news a lot lately Sources site that twenty NFL football players were suspended for games in the 2013 football season due to violations in the NFL’s substance abuse policy and/or the NFL’s policy on performance enhancing drugs.¹ As these results reveal, athletes are not only being tested for performance enhancing substances such as steroids and stimulants, but they are also being tested for typical recreational drugs of abuse as well.

Policies are created to protect players who are willing to sacrifice the long-term side effects for a short-term gain. These athletes are willing to risk the detrimental effects to their health in the future for the competitive edge today. Some even ruin their careers by being addicted to drugs. LSU cornerback Tyrann Mathieu, aka the “Honey Badger”, entered the 2012 football season as a Heisman Candidate. However, he was suspended from his football team and was not allowed play due to violating the team’s substance abuse policy. The Honey Badger later told one NFL team on an interview he fell so many drug tests that he quit counting at 10.² It has been well publicized at the benefits steroids and other performance enhancing drugs provide on the field, but painkillers and other opiate usage are becoming increasingly common. These athletes take pain pills to mask symptoms and allow them to keep performing despite injury and/or exhaustion.

The ‘Big Four’ sports leagues (hockey, basketball, baseball and football) have all had programs in place for many years. Any sport that is included in the Olympics will generally have an organization at the national level that oversees testing in competition. Combat sports including boxing and mixed martial arts are overseen by athletic commissions at the state level, and drug testing is required in order to be issued a fight license. At the college level, the NCAA conducts testing through a dual-layered program; both at championship sites and on a random, year-round basis. Some high schools and smaller recreational leagues have begun their own testing programs more recently, probably due in part to the increasing availability of various drugs through the internet. There was initially some controversy about drug-testing in high-schools, but a 1995 Supreme Court decision upheld the right to drug-test.

So what are the benefits of having a testing program? Proponents of testing point to the deterrence that is driven by accountability as well as a stronger sense of fair play. These same proponents would also offer a very valid argument that sports drug testing policies and programs are in place to protect the athlete that is so driven by success that he/she would risk long-term harm to himself to be better than the competition.

Do you have “Peace of Mind”?

September 21, 2013 Blood Testing, DNA Testing, Drug TestingAdam BellLeave a comment

“Peace of Mind”. If you’re like the majority of people in our fast paced society, you would likely go to great lengths for this precious and rare commodity. Strategies to provide this invaluable comfort in our life range from insurance to concealed weapons, guard dogs to dead bolt locks. All of these attempts are deployed to protect ones self and provide a relaxed state of consciousness. However, the absence of this “Peace of Mind” has been attributed to sleepless nights, adverse health effects and even an untimely demise.

The primary, most basic, and therefore encompassing contributor to peace of mind is contentment. If presented with the truth about a certain situation an individual has the ability to make a sound decision which will assist in obtaining this contentment we so desperately seek. People turn to a variety of resources and utilize different methods to find the truth they seek in life. Some individuals turn to their faith, others to their intelligence, and some simply seek ways to stay busy and keep their mind off of the underlying issues that provide the discontentment they feel.

It is commonly seen in the medical field that a patient’s status and quality of life improves after obtaining a diagnosis. While there have been no changes in the patients physical symptoms, the patient can manage and cope with the disease easier knowing what his/her prognosis is. As is seen in these patients, with accurate knowledge one can dispel the uncertainties of the future and answer the questions of the present. There is just something about having sufficient knowledge of a situation that allows us to “rest easy” in our thoughts.

Through the remarkable advancements in science and technology, it is now possible for you to gain the knowledge of biological and chemical processes that can impact virtually every area of your life.

DNA Testing

DNA testing can determine the validity of a variety of family relationships including but not limited to paternity. Many fathers, mothers and children who have questioned their biological relationships have received “Peace of Mind” by performing a DNA test. Others who have lost loved ones in tragic accidents where the body was unidentifiable have confirmed their identity through a DNA test.

Drug Testing

“Peace of Mind” has been received through drug testing by: concerned parents who notice undesirable changes in their child’s behavior, the employer that desires to decrease liability and the judge that needs proof that a child is not being placed in a home with a parent who is abusing drugs.

Blood Testing

Clinical blood testing is performed to provide objective findings about your body’s levels. While there are literally thousands of blood tests that can be performed, the basic tests can tell you if you are anemic, have an increased risk of bleeding or have a decreased ability to fight infection. Many health related school programs require proof of immunization for varicella zoster, hepatitis B and MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) prior to admission. If you are unable to confirm a past immunization, “Peace of Mind” can be obtained by having a titer performed to establish if immunity is present prior to placing yourself in a clinical setting with an increased risk of contracting these diseases.

For Any Situation

From court cases to pre-employment screenings, there are countless situations in which medical testing may play a vital role. Probation offices, schools, prisons, and state agencies all may have cause to turn to such testing, whether as a general protocol or as a requirement on an individual basis.

Whatever the specific situation or test needed, it’s “Peace of Mind” that you receive. Don’t let stress and anxiety rule in your life when there is contentment to be had.

Contact us today to let our decade of experience in serving your testing needs give you the “Peace of Mind” that you deserve.

The Great Debate: Submit to Drug Testing or Get Off Welfare

September 13, 2013 Drug TestingAdam BellLeave a comment

The data is in from Utah. Though the Department of Workforce Services (DWS) spent over $30,000 to drug test welfare applicants, they reportedly saved nearly $370,000 in unpaid benefits on the many who wouldn’t submit to screening. Utah is just one of several states that link welfare assistance to drug tests.

The Utah law requires that anyone applying for benefits under the state’s Family Employment Program take a Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory (SASSI) test. The test “identifies individuals who have a high probability of addictive behavior.” DWS may then require these individuals to submit to a drug test. Anyone testing positive must undergo treatment to receive benefits.

In the first year of implementation, of 4,730 welfare applicants:

1,020 scored high on the SASSI
466 were tested
12 tested positive
4 sought treatment

Whether this program is a success is still questionable considering that over 500 applicants were not required to submit to a drug test, and less than three percent of the tested applicants were positive. Some have suggested that if working Americans have to submit to drug tests to keep their jobs, why shouldn’t those who receive aid be required to as well. Other states—Oklahoma, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Florida to name a few—have or are considering going forward with the controversial move, even as North Carolina fights over whether drug testing should be part of welfare approval in that state.

As Sarah Preston of the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina said in a recent press release, “Why the legislature was so adamant about passing this bill is unclear, since all available evidence shows that public aid applicants are no more likely to use drugs than the general public, and similar programs in other states have been found to be unconstitutional and fiscally wasteful.”

It appears the drug-test-for-welfare-benefits controversy isn’t going away any time soon.

For more information on drug, DNA and clinical blood testing, review our website, read our blog, and please contact us for assistance.