Category: Drug Testing News

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Pilot arrested On Tarmac After Failing Breathalyzer Before Take Off

March 20, 2016

Failing Breathalyzer

This past weekend, an American Airlines Co-Pilot was arrested on the tarmac as passengers looked on after failing a breathalyzer test. The flight about to leave the Detroit Metropolitan airport was en route to Philadelphia, was immediately canceled.

A Transportation Security Agent was the first person to witness the pilot acting suspiciously. Minutes before the flight was scheduled to take off, the airport police were contacted. The co-pilot reportedly failed the initial onsite breathalyzer test. The co-pilot also reportedly failed a second test after being arrested.

FAA rules state that “no person may operate or attempt to operate an aircraft” within eight hours of having consumed alcohol or “with a blood alcohol content of 0.04 percent or greater.” The agency recommends that pilots wait 24 hours from the last use of alcohol before flying. “This is a serious matter and we are assisting local law enforcement and the Federal Aviation Administration with the investigation,” American Airlines said in a statement. “We will handle this matter appropriately as the safety and care of our customers and employees is our highest priority.”

“A hangover effect, produced by alcoholic beverages after the acute intoxication has worn off, may be just as dangerous as the intoxication itself,” FAA guidelines state. “Symptoms commonly associated with a hangover are headache, dizziness, dry mouth, stuffy nose, fatigue, upset stomach, irritability, impaired judgment and increased sensitivity to bright light.” The guidelines then adds, “A pilot with these symptoms would certainly not be fit to safely operate an aircraft.”

With drug and alcohol testing centers throughout the entire state of Michigan, 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

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Drug Testing for Unemployment Benefits

Sep 26 2016

Drug Testing for Unemployment BenefitsAfter four years of the initial law being passed, which would allow states to drug test applicants for federal unemployment payments, The Ready to Work Act of 2016 bill was passed by Chairman Kevin Brady of Texas introduced H.R. 5945 

This bill fully implements the bi-partisan 2012 law which overturned a 1960’s era Department of Labor ban against states drug testing unemployment applicants.

The legislation confirms that states would be allowed, but not required, to test unemployment applicants who lost their jobs as a result of drug use or are seeking a new job that generally requires new employees to pass a drug test.

States would also be allowed to create or design programs that would assist unemployed applicants overcome any obstacles relating to their drug use and be ready for work.

The White House defaulted on their responsibility to implement the law as Congress had originally intended.  There were several roadblocks, delays and obstructive regulations issued during the past four years which would guarantee progressive states such as Texas could not screen and test for drugs.

Texas officials deem this is a common-sense measure to ensure unemployed workers are ready and available to work and potential employers have access to good workers.  It is their belief that a potential employee should be able to pass a basic pre-employment drug test for a job that requires one.

Background: In 2012, Congress passed and President Obama signed the bipartisan Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act, which included an important policy allowing (but not requiring) states to test UI applicants who either (1) lost their job due to drug use, or (2) are seeking a new job that generally requires new employees to pass a drug test.

In August of this year, over four years after the drug testing provision was enacted, DOL issued its final rule, which fell significantly short of achieving the intended purpose of the law, effectively preventing states from implementing this important policy.

The Ready to Work Act of 2016 provides relief from the final DOL rule so that states—not the federal government—can determine how to administer UI benefits and help unemployed Americans return to work.

The following members of the Committee on Ways and Means joined Chairman Brady in introducing the “Ready to Work Act of 2016”: U.S. Reps. Sam Johnson (TX-03), Peter Roskam (IL-06), Charles Boustany (LA-03), Tom Price (GA-06), Tom Reed (NY-23), Mike Kelly (PA-03), George Holding (NC-13), Adrian Smith (NE-03), Jason Smith (MO-08).


For information regarding the effects of drug abuse – Click Here
For  information on a drug free work place – Click Here
For  information on substance abuse programs – Click Here
For information on DOT Drug / Alcohol Testing requirements – Click Here
 

John Burgos, CPC
Business Development Manager
https://accrediteddrugtesting.net
(800) 221-4291
Accredited Drug Testing Inc
Health Screening USA Inc

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When it comes to drug testing, especially for employment purposes, we are constantly bombarded with detection periods for drug testing and how drugs come up positive. We are here to debunk any mystifying details about the entire process so the next time you are called for a test, you are prepared.

Positive vs. Negative Tests

Most people don’t tend to dive deep on what makes a drug test positive or negative, they usually go into the test knowing whether they have passed or not simply be evaluating their personal drug use. But what if you have a prescription for painkillers or even have a Medical Marijuana Card? Then things can get a bit complicated. So let’s look at the process step-by-step from the beginning.

When getting scheduled for a drug test it is important to know that you will need to have a phone number on file that you can be reached at for reasons later on. But first, you will be scheduled for a drug test through Accredited Drug Testing by visiting our website (the one you are currently on) or by calling our national scheduling office at 1-800-221-4291.

Once you receive your donor pass you will proceed to the testing location at your earlier convenience (with Accredited Drug Testing you can even proceed the same day!). Once there you will take the test required (in certain cases urine, oral, or in others hair) and your end of the process is done from here on out.

After you take your drug test, your “sample” is then sent to a laboratory for testing. It is important to note that you will only come up positive for drugs that are included for testing in the test you took. For example, if you were sent to take a 5 Panel Urine Drug Test which only covers:

-Amphetamines

-Cocaine

-Marijuana

-MDA

-Opiates

-Phencyclidine (PCP)

You wouldn’t test positive for Oxycodone or Barbituates because your test doesn’t cover those panels. Even if you were actively taking those drugs. So as an employer it is important to know what exactly you are looking for in a drug testing so you are ordering the correct one for future candidates or randomly screening your current employees.

The test is then sent to a Medical Review Officer for a confirmation test. This test confirms the drugs found above the minimum levels required in your system. There are different levels for every drug and these levels are measured in nanograms for milliliter for urine and oral tests. These are considered the “cutoff levels”. A drug will not be found positive unless it meets that minimum level to be found in your system.

Who decides the “Cutoff” levels?

Cutoff levels for federally regulated drug testing programs (Department of Transportation for example) are established by mandatory guidelines set forth by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Additionally, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) rule 49 CFR Part 40 harmonizes with HHS and describes the required procedures for conducting drug and alcohol testing for the federally-regulated transportation industry. Many non-regulated employers mirror the cutoff levels established by the government.

For the latest and greatest in drug testing news, continue to check AccreditedDrugTesting.net for more!

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Jon Jones of the MMA fighting world just can’t seem to catch a break. The fighter just tested positive on another drug test. And after a rocky history outside of the ring, his career may finally come to an end.

Before this, Mr. Jones had the chance of going down as one of UFC’s greatest athletes of all time, even being ranked number one in the world during his championship reign and currently has the longest active winning streak in UFC.

A Troublesome Past…

But outside of the cage, he’s been involved in several controversies. In 2012, Jones was arrested under suspicion of a DUI after he crashed his Bentley into a telephone pole in Binghamton, New York. He pleaded guilty and avoided any jail time.

In 2015 after moving to New Mexico full time to be closer to his training gym, he turned himself in for a hit-and-run case where he struck a car with a pregnant woman driving. She sustained some injuries breaking one arm with included a wrist injury. For this, he faced a felony charge of leaving the scene of a crime, one which included jail time. He ended up being sentenced to up to 18 months of supervised probation, while also being stripped of his title, being removed from official rankings and facing a 1 year suspension from UFC.

Then in 2016, when he was set to come back to the ring versus Daniel Cormier at UFC 200 a urine sample tested positive for 2 banned substances, he was forced to withdraw from the event.

And a month later the Nevada State Athletic Commission revealed Jones had tested positive for clomiphene and letrozole, which are both on the World Anti-Doping Agency banned substances list and are described as “hormone and metabolic modulators”. Jones claimed his innocence by stating he ate something intoxicated.

Fast forward to August 22nd, 2017  where Jones has tested positive yet again, but now for a different steroid. He has been indefinitely suspended again and if he is stripped of his title, it will revert to Daniel Cormier.

Cormier was notified of the news while on vacation and offered these comments “It’s hard to find words to describe how I’m feeling right now,” Cormier said. “I’m disappointed to hear the news. It’s very emotional. We as athletes are entitled to due process, and I will refrain from saying much more until I know exactly what happened.”

To hear the latest in drug testing news, check back every week on AccreditedDrugTesting.net.

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Winnipeg drivers asked to voluntarily submit DNA sample for drug testing at check point

Oct. 17 2016

Winnipeg drivers asked to voluntarily submit DNA sample for drug testing at check point

WINNIPEG — It was an unusual roadside check point that had left some Winnipeggers wondering what their information may be used for.

In the early morning hours of Sept. 8, drivers were being checked at a roadside stop on Century Avenue and asked the standard “have you been drinking” question by Winnipeg police officers.

However, the conversation that followed is what left some drivers concerned.

Once drivers were cleared by police, they were solicited complete a voluntary survey.

“We are asking for your help in a voluntary driver safety survey that deals with alcohol, drugs and driving,” read a part of the survey obtained by Global News. “(You will be asked) to provide a breath sample to measure the amount of alcohol in your system… If the test shows that you are over the legal limit, you will be asked to let a non-impaired passenger drive, or we will provide you with a free taxi ride to your destination.”

Volunteers were handed a tablet which contained several survey questions.  Some examples were, “have you been drinking anything tonight, when was the last time you used heroin, and when was the last time you used cocaine.”

Many motorists claimed that after the breathalyzer the really invasive part of the survey began and volunteers where handed a saliva swab and were given the instructions of putting the swab under their tongue until the sensor turns blue.

MPI said it is using the samples to test for drug usage and are trying to determine a baseline before marijuana use is legalized in Canada.

“The goal is to get 1,200 surveys,” said MPI spokesperson Brian Smiley. “From those 1,200 we’ll have a very firm baseline in terms of what actually is happening out there and the impact legalization may have on impaired driving in Manitoba.”

MPI said all information is voluntary and remains anonymous.

Participants were given a $10 gift certificate, provided by Mothers Against Drunk Driving, for taking the survey.

MPI said they will be conducting these surveys every Wednesday through Saturday until the end of September. They will be conducted in Winnipeg, Brandon, Thompson, Steinbach and Portage la Prairie.

 


For information regarding the effects of drug abuse – Click Here
For  information on a drug free work place – Click Here
For  information on substance abuse programs – Click Here
For information on DOT Drug / Alcohol Testing requirements – Click Here
John Burgos, CPC
Business Development Manager
https://accrediteddrugtesting.net
(800) 221-4291
Accredited Drug Testing Inc
Health Screening USA Inc

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MMA Legend Conor Mcgregor and undefeated boxing legend Floyd Mayweather’s upcoming match will be one for the books on August 26th, 2017.

What fight?

The athletes have done several press events to build anticipation for the fight, now dubbed “The Money Fight” being held in the T-Mobile Area in Las Vegas, Nevada. Where they face off and taunt each other with scare tactics.

But one thing both athletes have agreed on is being part of a USADA robust testing program. This program is very similar to the UFC Anti-Doping Program Mcgregor is still a part of. And while many are considering this fight a circus, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is insisting that this will be treated and regulated like all other boxing matches before it.

Who’s been drug testing?

Mcgregor has yet to be tested under the USADA’s program but has been tested 5 times in 2017 under the UFC testing program and has consistently come up negative. Mayweather, on the other hand, had been tested twice this month under the new program but hasn’t been tested in over 2 years since his fight with Andre Berto in September 2015. Mayweather is coming out of retirement for the big “Money Fight” this month.

For Mayweather some are worried this month was a bit late to begin testing but officials are insistent the drug testing will be continuous  moving forward.

“There is no maximum number of tests that can be performed and like our other programs, we will test robustly leading up to and during the fight in order to maximize deterrence and detection,” the spokesperson said. “Each athlete’s test history will be published on the USADA website and updated weekly.”

Who’s in charge?

The testing is administered through the United States Anti-doping Agency (USADA) but has not been registered with the Nevada State Athletic Commission as of yet. The USADA and NSAC have had differences in the past which spelled trouble for Mayweather during his Pacquaio fight in 2o15.

For the latest in drug testing industry news and DOT news, check out the rest of our blog at accrediteddrugtesting.net

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Teens Buying Nicotine Online

April 11, 2016

Teens Buying Nicotine OnlineSelling tobacco products to minor is illegal in the United States, but that hasn’t stopped online stores from selling nicotine-infused liquids to use with electronic cigarettes. Big tobacco companies, including Altria Group Inc, Lorillard Tobacco Co and Reynolds American Inc, are all developing e-cigarettes. The battery-powered devices feature a glowing tip and a heating element that turns liquid nicotine and other flavorings into a cloud of vapor that users inhale.

When researchers tested a random selection of 120 popular e-cigarette websites, only four virtual stores prevented the sale of e-liquids to minors, the study found. “At this time, the liquid nicotine and electronic cigarette market in the United States is largely unregulated, which we believe to be a large factor behind so few vendors implementing effective restrictions on youth access,” said lead study author Dmitriy Nikitin, a researcher at the University of California, Irvine.

Adolescents who try e-cigarettes may be more than twice as likely to move on to smoking conventional cigarettes as those who have never tried the devices, previous research has found. About 2 million middle and high-school students tried e-cigarettes in 2014, triple the number of teen users in 2013, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported last year.

One limitation of the analysis, the researchers note, is that it didn’t examine e-liquid sellers who operate on social networks like Facebook, and Reddit, which may have led them to underestimate the ease of online purchasing.

Many U.S. states already ban sales of e-cigarettes to minors, but vendors need clear guidelines to follow for preventing underage purchases to make these policies more effective, said Adam Leventhal, director of the University of Southern California Health, Emotion and Addiction Laboratory in Los Angeles.

“In addition to the health hazards of vaping nicotine, other forms of nicotine ingestion like swallowing can be deadly,” Leventhal said. “The high concentration of nicotine in some e-liquids if swallowed or absorbed into the body through other means is toxic, especially for infants and toddlers, who may be the siblings of older children who might be purchasing e-liquids and not aware of such hazards.”

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

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Florida Voters Legalize Medical Marijuana

Nov 14 2016

Florida Voters Legalize Medical Marijuana

Florida voters approved a state constitutional amendment Tuesday November 8, 2016 to legalize medical marijuana.  This amendment will broaden access to marijuana beyond the limited therapeutic uses approved by the legislature two years ago.

Currently, the law permits non-smoked, low-THC pot for patients with cancer or ailments that cause chronic seizures or severe spasms. The ballot measure formally legalizes medical marijuana, and broadens access for diseases with symptoms other than seizures or spasms.

Amendment 2 was heavily backed by Orlando lawyer John Morgan and the group United for Care.

Specifically, the amendment allows prescriptions for 10 illnesses: cancer, epilepsy, glaucoma, AIDS, post-traumatic stress disorder, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis. It also authorizes doctors to prescribe marijuana for any other similar kind of ailment.VE

Florida becomes the 26th state along with the District of Columbia to legalize the marijuana plant for medical use. Before the passage of Amendment 2, Florida was one of 16 states where only part of the marijuana plant is used.

The Department of Health will regulate how medical marijuana can be distributed along with mandating identification cards for caregivers and patients. Many rules and regulations — from how the marijuana is grown to regulations on how it can be transported for in-home delivery — already have been passed by the legislature under laws for limited use of marijuana. Those regulations also will apply to the constitutional amendment.

FL Amendment 2 – Medical Marijuana100% of Precincts Reporting (6,027/6,027)
Votes Split
✓ Yes  6,496,157 71%
No  2,616,128 28%

Ballot Link


For information regarding the effects of drug abuse – Click Here
For  information on a drug free work place – Click Here
For  information on substance abuse programs – Click Here
For information on DOT Drug / Alcohol Testing requirements – Click Here
 

John Burgos, CPC
Business Development Manager
https://accrediteddrugtesting.net
(800) 221-4291
Accredited Drug Testing Inc
Health Screening USA Inc

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DEA Say’s “NO” To Marijuana

Aug. 12 2016

DEA Say’s “NO” To Marijuana

Marijuana activists who hoped the number of US states progressing towards the legalization of medical marijuana would soften the federal stance on the drug faced a setback Thursday as the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced that it will keep marijuana illegal for any purpose.

This decision supports and reinforces an employer’s right to test employees for marijuana and discipline any employee who has a positive test result.

With this ruling, marijuana will remain a Schedule 1 substance under the Controlled Substances Act. Substances classified as a Schedule 1 are defined by the Food and Drug Administration to have no medical use. The DEA will announce their ruling today on their Federal Register.  Click here for ruling This ruling also relaxes the guidelines for marijuana research which will make it easier for institutions to grow marijuana for scientific study.

The DEA states that a drug may have a “currently accepted medical use” in the United States if the drug meets a five-part test. Established case law (Alliance for Cannabis Therapeutics v. DEA, 15 F.3d 1131, 1135 (D.C. Cir. 1994)

5 steps listed below to be “classified and accepted for medical use”

  • the drug’s chemistry is known and reproducible
  • there are adequate safety studies;
  • there are adequate and well-controlled studies proving efficacy;
  • the drug is accepted by qualified experts;
  • the scientific evidence is widely available.

In reaching its conclusion, the DEA stated that a Health and Human Services evaluation indicates that marijuana has no ‘‘currently accepted medical use’’ because “the drug’s chemistry is not known and reproducible.  There are also no adequate safety studies documented and there are no adequate and well-controlled studies proving value.

“At this time,” the DEA concluded, “the known risks of marijuana use have not been shown to be outweighed by specific benefits in well-controlled clinical trials that scientifically evaluate safety and efficacy.”

If you have any questions regarding the DEA’s ruling please call:

 

John Burgos, CPC
Business Development Manager
Accredited Drug Testing Inc
Health Screenings USA Inc
(800)221-4291
www.accrediteddrugtesting.net
www.healthscreeningsusa.com

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Adrian Guitian and Andrew GormallyApril Award Winner
Today, Accredited Drug Testing Inc President/CEO James Greer announced the winners of our monthly customer service and sales award. Recognized for providing our clients with assistance and a commitment to our company’s goals of providing drug, alcohol and DNA testing services above and beyond the industry standard. Receiving recognition and cash awards were Adrian Guitian and Andrew Gormally.