Category: Drug Testing News

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Accredited Drug Testing Supports Local Community

March 30, 2016

Accredited Drug Testing CentersHelpful Hands, Inc. is a local charity with a mission to enhance the quality of life of children, individuals and families from our community who are in crisis.

Last year, our Fifth Annual Golf Tournament was successful beyond what we dared hope. Keeping to our mission, with the monies raised we initiated many of our programs: ‘Celebration Parties’ honoring milestones for children affected by cancer; sports programs; 4 – H camp; and we also fully-funded the Oviedo Police Department summer camp for at-risk youth in the community.

We also have a fine arts program that offers talented
children identified through the Seminole County Public Schools, the opportunity for piano lessons and a piano by partnering with the Steinway Piano Bank as well as children with a gift for the dramatic an opportunity participate in the Wayne Densch Theater Performing Arts Center camp.

There is more to be done, and this year with your support of our Sixth Annual Golf Tournament we will expand these programs and implement others. Thank you for your support of our community.

” Thank You to Jim Greer and Accredited Drug Testing Inc. our latest Premium Helpful Hands Foursome Sponsor for our 6th Annual Golf Tournament. We appreciate your support of our charitable foundation and all that you do for our community! ” -Helpful Hands, Inc

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Could Decriminalizing All Drugs End the War on Drugs?

March 25, 2016

Decriminalizing

The war on drugs has been faced with a global front, uniting nations from all over the world attempting to destroy the drug dealing networks. “The global war on drugs has harmed public health, human rights and development,” said commissioner Chris Beyrer, an epidemiology professor at Johns Hopkins’s Bloomberg School of Public Health. “It’s time for us to rethink our approach to global drug policies, and put scientific evidence and public health at the heart of drug policy discussions.”

“The goal of prohibiting all use, possession, production and trafficking of illicit drugs is the basis of many of our national drug laws, but these policies are based on ideas about drug use and drug dependence that are not scientifically grounded,” Beyrer said.

Beyrer is one of the authors of a new report published last week that comes ahead of a U.N. summit on the issue in April. The international commission urged governments to decriminalize “minor and nonviolent drug use, possession and petty sale; enactment of policies that reduce violence and discrimination in drug policing.” “Such measures could lead to decreases in drug-related violence worldwide, the authors suggest. They refer to data from Central America and Mexico, where homicides increased following military and police action taken against drug trafficking.

Despite the prominent support for an end of the war on drugs, it is considered unlikely that the upcoming U.N. summit will change much about current policies.

With drug and alcohol testing centers throughout the entire United States, Accredited Drug Testing Inc. is available to answer all of your drug and alcohol testing questions and needs. For more information contact:

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Belgian Police Use DNA to Find Suspects in Brussels Airport Bombing

March 28, 2016

Police Use DNA Testing

Belgian investigators are currently analysing DNA from the bombing in a Brussels airport to link a connection to the Paris bombings. French authorities say that the DNA found on one of the bombers vests in the Brussels airport was also found on a vest from the Paris attacks, which killed 130 people in November 2015.

There were two blasts at about 8AM on March 22nd ripped through the Belgian city’s main airport. An hour later, an explosion struck the subway station of Maelbeek, in the heart of Brussels. The attacks, claimed by ISIS and believed to have been carried out by five terrorists, killed 31 people and injured more than 300.

“After explosions like these, the first step is to collect all the objects from the blast scene that could be associated with the attack,” David Foran, the Director of the forensic science program at Michigan State University’s School of Criminal Justice says. “In the case of the Brussels attack, these likely included fragments of the explosive devices, screws and nails reportedly used as shrapnel, and the suitcases and luggage carts the suspects are shown pushing through the airport in security footage.”

The second step is to bring all recovered objects to the lab and swab them to collect any traces of DNA that have survived the blast. This is where things get tricky: DNA can be damaged by heat.”DNA will burn, just like any part of your body can burn,” Foran says. “It doesn’t like direct flame.”

“DNA evidence recovered from explosive devices isn’t usually high-quality. It mostly comes from fingerprints left by whoever handled the bombs and the containers, like suitcases and backpacks, where the devices were placed,” Foran says. If investigators are able to zero in on a DNA sample, the last step is to enter it into a database to see whether it matches with existing DNA records.

With DNA evidence found at the Brussels airport, Belgian investigators identified Najim Laachraoui, a 24-year-old Belgian citizen born in Morocco, as one of the suspects. It’s not clear how French and Belgian investigators had a record of his DNA in the first place. But it matched with DNA evidence found not only on suicide vests used in Paris, but also in two houses in Belgium.

With DNA and background testing centers throughout the entire state of Michigan, Accredited Drug Testing Inc. is available to answer all of your DNA and background testing questions and needs. For more information contact:

Andrew Gormally
Marketing/Industry Relations Assistant
Andrew@accredtiteddrugtesting.com
http://accrediteddrugtesting.net/
(800) 221-4291
Accredited Drug Testing Inc

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March Newsletter

In This Month’s Issue

  • -Legal Brief
  • -DOT Corner
  • -DATIA News
  • -Did You Know?
  • -Our Team

Legal Brief
U.S Supreme Court Still Debating On Colorado Marijuana Case
Earlier this month the Supreme Court decided to continue to debating on the lawsuit brought against Colorado concerning the legalization of marijuana. The case brought to the Supreme Court by neighboring states Nebraska and Oklahoma, is on how Colorado’s legislation impermissibly conflicts with federal law and creates burdens for them by increasing the amount of pot coming across their borders.

The case has been pending for more than a year, and the courts will continue to host private meetings on the matter.

DOT Corner
New Training Requirements for Bus and Truck Drivers Proposed. The Obama Administration has proposed new standards this month for commercial truck and bus drivers.  The proposal sets new rules for obtaining a Class A and B CDL.

To obtain a Class A CDL, which is required to drive a tractor-trailer type vehicle that weighs 26,001 pounds or more, a driver would have to complete 30 hours of behind-the-wheel training with and instructional program that meets FMCSA standards. Of the 30 hours, 10 must be on a practice driving range.

For a Class B CDL, which is required to operate a heavy straight trucks like a dump truck or box truck, and a school bus, city transit bus or motor coach, drivers would have to log a minimum of 15 hours of behind-the-wheel training. Of the 15 hours, seven hours would have to be on a practice driving range.

The new rules would apply to first-time CDL applications, current CDL holders that want to upgrade their license and previously disqualified drivers now looking to re-acquire a CDL license.
DATIA News
Lawmaker calls for drug testing Legislative members after welfare drug testing bill passed
A McDowell County lawmaker is calling for the implementation of a random drug testing program for members of the West Virginia Legislature. Read More

DATIA 2016 Annual Conference and Exposition
In April 2016, a three-day event will be held that is expected to be the single largest gathering of professionals involved in drug and alcohol testing ever assembled. Read More

President/CEO Nominated For Board of Directors
Please join us and congratulating our President/CEO Mr. James Greer on being nominated to the Board of Directors of the Drug and Alcohol Testing Industry Association (DATIA). DATIA was founded in 1995 and has grown to represent over 1500 member companies, and expanded its scope. DATIA now represents the entire spectrum of drug and alcohol service providers including collection sites, laboratories, consortiums/TPAs, MROs, and testing equipment manufacturers.
Did You Know?

Making Your Workplace a Certified Drug Free Work Place Is Easier Than You Think. Workers that abuse drugs and alcohol on or off the job endanger not only themselves, but those around them. Make sure your employees know what your company’s drug and alcohol policy is. Accredited Drug Testing Inc. can help make your work place a drug free workplace. Read More

Our Team

Our Team Is Growing! Please join us in welcoming Andrew, Adrian, and Adam to our team!

Andrew, our new Marketing/Industry Relations Assistant, comes to us from Washington D.C. He graduated from Frostburg State University with a degree in legal studies. Andrew has spent the past few years working on the Hill for various Congressman and public affairs firms.

Adrian, our new Customer Service Specialist, hails from Miami, Florida. Adrian is an Air Force Veteran. Adrian will assist in responding to inquiries on drug and alcohol screenings.

Adam, our new Customer Service Specialist, is originally from Queens, New York. Adam will assist in scheduling drug and alcohol screenings, and with implementing Drug Free Workplace policies.
Accredited Drug Testing Inc. Monthly Newsletter: March 2016
Edited By:
Andrew Gormally
Marketing/Industry Relations Assistant
Andrew@accrediteddrugtesting.net
(800) 221-4291
www.accrediteddrugtesting.net

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San Jose Drug and Alcohol Testing Negative for Greyhound Bus Crash

March 5, 2016
An investigation in the Greyhound rollover bush crash in San Jose that San Jose Drug and Alcohol Testingkilled two people revealed that no drugs or alcohol were found in his system and that mechanical failure did not cause the crash.

According to investigators there were no mechanical defects identified in the initial inspection of the bus. The 58-year-old driver tested negative for illicit drugs and alcohol in the preliminary toxicology test.

According to the Federal Transit Administration regulations, after a fatal accident, each surviving employee operating the mass transit vehicle at the time of the accident must be tested. Also, any other covered employee whose performance could have contributed to the accident must be tested.

The Department of Transportation regulated post accident toxicology test consists of a five panel urinalysis screening and a breath alcohol test. The Department of Transportation has very strict guidelines for employees in a safety sensitive position. A safety sensitive position is any operators of revenue service vehicles, CDL-holding operators of non revenue service vehicles, vehicle controllers, revenue service vehicle mechanics, and firearm-carrying security personnel.  

Drivers regulated under the Department of Transportation are also required to members of a consortium. The consortium pulls random names four times a quarter, and if selected the employee must immediately take a drug and alcohol screening.  

Although officials are still investigating the crash, they did report that the weather conditions were dark, with light to heavy rain, and11-23 mph winds. A passenger also told officials that the driver also reportedly stopped the bus because he was feeling tired. The bus rammed into an area that separated the high occupancy lane from the through lanes.

The bus then collided with impact barrels in stationed in front of the concrete barrier. According to the report the bus then rode up on the concrete barrier, rotated counterclockwise, and rolled. Officials are still investigating and analysing the busses cameras to find the cause of the crash.

With drug and alcohol testing centers throughout the San Francisco area, Accredited Drug Testing Inc. is available to answer all of your drug and alcohol testing questions and needs. For more information contact:

Andrew Gormally
Marketing/Industry Relations Assistant
Andrew@accredtiteddrugtesting.com
http://accrediteddrugtesting.net/
(800) 221-4291
Accredited Drug Testing Inc
Health Screening USA Inc

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Oak Lawn Man Arrested After Selling Ecstasy Drug Over SnapChat

March 9, 2016
An Oak Lawn man was arrested after arranging to sell 1,000 Ecstasy pills to an undercover police officer. An Illinois State Policy officer contacted Oak Lawn Ecstasy Drug Testingthe suspect through the social media platform Snapchat and agreed to buy 1,000 pills of the party drug.

Ecstasy, or Molly/MDMA, is a psychoactive synthetic drug that alters mood and perception.The suspect agreed to sell the drugs for $5.55 a pill. When the suspect was arrested, officials also found a loaded handgun with a bullet in the chamber. The gun was reported stolen in the burglary of a Crestwood home. The suspect was charged with armed violence, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.

Ecstasy can affect the body’s ability to regulate spikes in the body temperature, that can occasionally result in liver, kidney, or heart failure, and possibly death. Many users will take a combination of Ecstasy with other drugs and or alcohol not knowing the possible dangers.

It is not uncommon for dealers to have large quantities of Ecstasy, for the sole purpose of distributing to the masses. A popular venue for the distribution are at concerts or multi-day music festivals. Chicago is host to Lollapalooza, a three day long music festival.

Most venues are equipped with on hand medical staff to assist with emergencies, but many festival goers camp onsite, and are subject to being left unattended. Another major issue that arises are the sheer mass of crowds that attend these festivals. On site medical staff are only equipped to handle a few cases of medical emergencies, and with the ease of Ecstasy’s mass distribution some overdose cases may be overlooked, resulting in death.

With drug and alcohol testing centers throughout the Oak Lawn area, Accredited Drug Testing Inc. is available to answer all of your drug and alcohol testing questions and needs. For more information contact:

Andrew Gormally
Marketing/Industry Relations Assistant
Andrew@accredtiteddrugtesting.com
http://accrediteddrugtesting.net/
(800) 221-4291
Accredited Drug Testing Inc
Health Screening USA Inc

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Police Officers in the Boca Raton Area to be Required to Carry Heroin Antidote

February 27, 2016
Earlier this month, the Delray Beach Police Department announced Heroin Drug Testingofficers would carry the lifesaving heroin overdose antidote. Thirty-two shift supervisors can now check out kits naloxone, which is used to save the lives of heroin users that overdose.

Police departments across the country have seen a spike in heroin overdoses as of late, and in some areas receiving almost ten calls a day. Delray Beach Police Chief Jeff Goldman, has called the recent spike a heroin epidemic. The city has already seen ten suspected heroin overdose deaths.

Heroin is an opioid, that is synthesized from morphine. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse in 2011, 4.2 million Americans (aged 12 or older) had used heroin once in their lives. Prescription opioid pain medications such as Oxycontin and Vicodin have similar effects to heroin, and when abused, are common gateways to chronic heroin use. Heroin and similar opioids can be easily detected in a 10 panel drug screening.

Many young people who have previously used heroin, reported abusing prescription opioids before turning to the incredibly addicting drug. Others say they took up heroin because it was cheaper and more easily accessible than prescription drugs.

Due to its potency, many users continue and even increase use of the drug to “chase the same high,” to ease the physical dependency. Chronic users become physically dependent on the drug to avoid withdrawal symptoms.

Delray Beach Fire Rescue has trained it staff to use naloxone for years, and have already administered the antidote seventy-seven times this year. Unlike paramedics, the police department will be trained to administer the antidote using a nasal spray. Law enforcement officers are generally the first to respond to emergency calls, and training them to resuscitate a heroin overdose can mean life or death. Accredited Drug Testing can easily schedule a drug test that detects the use of heroin and similar opioids, potentially saving someone you know and love.

With drug and alcohol testing centers throughout the Boca Raton area, Accredited Drug Testing is there to answer all of your drug and alcohol testing questions and needs. For more information contact:

Andrew Gormally
Marketing/Industry Relations Assistant
Andrew@accredtiteddrugtesting.com
http://accrediteddrugtesting.net/
(800) 221-4291
Accredited Drug Testing Inc
Health Screening USA Inc

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Federal Investigators Bust Orlando Heroin Drug Ring

February  21, 2016
A joint two-year between federal, state, and local authorities have busted a drug trafficking ring along International Drive in Orlando. The suspects Heroin Drug Testingcalled themselves La Compania and sold heroin twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

 

Authorities report that the suspects sold the opioid over a “heroin hotline” along the busy tourist district. The suspects reportedly made $3.5 million in one year of operation. Eleven suspects were arrested, and are all facing federal drug charges.

Heroin is an opioid, that is synthesized from morphine. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse in 2011, 4.2 million Americans (aged 12 or older) had used heroin once in their lives. Prescription opioid pain medications such as Oxycontin and Vicodin have similar effects to heroin, and when abused, are common gateways to chronic heroin use. Heroin and similar opioids can be easily detected in a 10 panel drug screening.

Many young people who have previously used heroin, reported abusing prescription opioids before turning to the incredibly addicting drug. Others say they took up it because heroin is cheaper and more easily accessible than prescription drugs.

Due to its potency, many users continue and even increase use of the drug to “chase the same high,” to ease the physical dependency. Chronic users become physically dependent on the drug to avoid withdrawal symptoms.

Users would use the “heroin hotline” to buy the drugs, then turn around and sell or use them. Most of the customers were locals who sold the heroin for profit.  Authorities believe busting the suspects were a mid-level organisation, that take players out of an even larger drug trafficking operation.

Orange County officials have taken initiative after a reported 90 heroin-related deaths in the Orange and Osceola county area. In August, leaders in law enforcement, health care and education created a multi-agency Heroin Task Force to eradicate the heroin problem. In January and February alone Orange County Sheriff’s Department has responded to seventy-five heroin overdose related calls. Accredited Drug Testing can easily schedule a drug test that detects the use of heroin and similar opioids, potentially saving someone you know and love.

With drug and alcohol testing centers throughout the Orlando area, Accredited Drug Testing is there to answer all of your drug and alcohol testing questions and needs. For more information contact:

Andrew Gormally
Marketing/Industry Relations Assistant
Andrew@accredtiteddrugtesting.com
http://accrediteddrugtesting.net/
(800) 221-4291
Accredited Drug Testing Inc
Health Screening USA Inc

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Ecstasy Drug Outbreak Plaguing the Greater Los Angeles Area

February 13, 2016
The Los Angeles County coroner has determined the recent death of an 18-year-old UCLA student, was caused by an overdose of Ecstasy Ecstasy Drug Testing(methylenedioxy-methamphetamine). Ecstasy, or Molly/MDMA, is a psychoactive synthetic drug that alters mood and perception.

Ecstasy gained popularity in night clubs and raves, but is now reaching a broader range of users because of it’s ease of accessibility and low cost. Last month authorities in the Riverside area intercepted over 1,000 Ecstasy pills hidden in a jigsaw puzzle box sent through the mail.

Ecstasy can affect the body’s ability to regulate spikes in the body temperature, that can occasionally result in liver, kidney, or heart failure, and possibly death. Many users will take a combination of Ecstasy with other drugs and or alcohol not knowing the possible dangers.

Concerned someone you know or love has been using Ecstasy? Accredited Drug Testing is the premier source with local locations across the entire state of California to answer all of your drug and alcohol testing questions and needs!

Molly, which refers to the alleged “pure form,” often comes in powder form sold in capsules. These capsules, are cheap and generally sold in bulk. It is not uncommon for dealers to have large quantities of Molly, for the sole purpose of distributing to the masses. A popular venue for the distribution are at concerts or multi-day music festivals, known as raves.

With the surge in popularity of Electronic Dance Music, or “EDM”, many venues are hosts to these multi-day festivals. Most venues are equipped with on hand medical staff to assist with emergencies, but many festival goers camp onsite, and are subject to being left unattended. Another major issue that arises are the sheer mass of crowds that attend these festivals. On site medical staff are only equipped to handle a few cases of medical emergencies, and with the ease of Ecstasy’s mass distribution some overdose cases may be overlooked, resulting in death.   

The Los Angeles County Fair Association is taking action against this outbreak, and stated that there will be no raves at the fairgrounds this year. Raves have stopped being held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and Sports Area in 2011 after several Ecstasy overdoes.

Although, there are fewer raves in the Los Angeles area, many events continue to arise outside the city that draw big crowds. This outbreak has sparked debate with authorities and law makers on how to reduce drug-related problems at raves.

With drug and alcohol testing centers throughout the Los Angeles area, Accredited Drug Testing Inc. is available to answer all of your drug and alcohol testing questions and needs. For more information contact:

Andrew Gormally
Marketing/Industry Relations Assistant
Andrew@accredtiteddrugtesting.com
http://accrediteddrugtesting.net/
(800) 221-4291
Accredited Drug Testing Inc
Health Screening USA Inc

Related Article: LA Times: http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-hard-summer-rave-deaths-20150803-story.html