Drug and Alcohol Testing

Drug and Alcohol Testing

May 07, 2018

Over two million Americans are estimated to have a problem with opioids. According to the latest survey data, over 97 million people took prescription painkillers in 2015; of these, 12 million did so without direction by a doctor. Between 1960 and 2005, consumer expenditures on prescription drugs rose from $2.7 billion to $200.7 billion. Total spending on prescription drugs in the U.S. rose 12.2% to nearly $425 billion in 2015[1]. An estimated 6.4 million people reported misusing psychotherapeutic drugs in the past month, including 3.8 million people who were misusers of prescription pain relievers[2].

Drug and Alcohol Testing

April 24, 2018

The differences in marijuana legalization vary from state to state and are changing the way employers handle workplace drug testing. The detection windows for THC can test positive 30 days after its initial use for chronic users with a urine analysis, and up to 90 days with a hair analysis. This leaves employers faced with complexities when determining if employees are impaired at work, or if they used at another time. Establishing a method to validate impairment in the workplace will deter employees from using in the first place and create a safer working environment.

Drug and Alcohol Testing

March 19, 2018

Prescription opioids, such as Oxycodone, Morphine, Codeine, and Hydrocodone are administered to patients to relieve mild to severe pain, but for those who abuse the drug it can cause a euphoric effect similar to heroin. When taken as prescribed, opioid painkillers are effective for pain management. According to the NIH (National Institutes of Health), “frequent prescription opioid users and those diagnosed with dependence or abuse of prescription opioids are more likely to switch to heroin; dependence on or abuse of prescription opioids has been associated with a 40-fold increased risk of dependence on or abuse of heroin.” With the opioid epidemic on the rise, more addicts are finding it difficult to obtain prescription pills and instead are turning to alternatives, such as heroin, which are more available and cheaper.

Drug and Alcohol Testing

March 05, 2018

Iowa has now come onboard and finally passed a law to allow pre-employment drug testing with hair.  Urine, blood and oral fluids remain effective ways to test for drug use. But in specific circumstances, hair testing can better identify drug users who present risks to the workplace because it can detect usage for the past 90 days and can identify the presence of difficult-to-detect substances.

Drug and Alcohol Testing

February 19, 2018

DISA Global Solutions vendor partner, Concentra, is now offering Electronic Custody and Control Form (eCCF) capabilities for DOT drug testing. Concentra, one of the largest collection site networks in the nation, operates more than 310 Occupational Health Clinics throughout the US.

Drug and Alcohol Testing

January 25, 2018

You can now add California, Maine and Vermont to the list of states that have legalized the sale of recreational marijuana.

Drug and Alcohol Testing

January 15, 2018

We talk and think a lot about workplace safety here at DISA; we offer advanced background and drug screening services with the goal of creating safer workplaces worldwide. This effort is as critical now as ever: Each year, an average of 3 million people experience some kind of injury as a result of their jobs, with injury costs that can exceed annual profit for their employers. Workplace safety is a holistic issue that can be effectively managed by establishing what’s become known as a ‘culture of safety.’