Tag: American Drug Talk

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Kratom, or  Mitragyna speciosa, is a tree native to southeast Asia which has leaves that can be manufactured into a high-producing drug when ingested. Sold over the counter, Kratom has been abused all over America, with calls to the U.S Poison Control Center associated with Kratom spiking rapidly between 2010-2015. Kratom is commonly marketed as treatment for Addiction, Anxiety, and Depression. At head shops, gas stations, and other general retail businesses, Kratom is sold in the form of raw leaf, powder, gum, capsules, tablets, and as a concentrated extract.

Effects of Kratom:

  • Increased energy and alertness.
  • Decreased appetite.
  • Increased sociability.
  • Heightened libido.
  • Analgesia (pain reduction).
  • Drowsiness.
  • Calm, dreamlike mental state.
  • Cough suppression.
  • Reduction in symptoms of opioid withdrawal.

Signs of Kratom use:

  • Pupillary constriction (tiny pupils).
  • Facial flushing (blushing).
  • Tremors or loss of motor coordination.
  • Constipation.
  • Sweating.
  • Dizziness.
  • Nausea and vomiting.
  • Itching.

Common Uses/Misuses of Kratom

Kratom is used as a painkiller, antipyretic (fever reducer), anti-inflammatory, antitussive (cough suppressant), antihypertensive (to lower blood pressure), as a local anesthetic, to lower blood sugar, and as an antidiarrheal. There are no studies linked to the effectiveness of these uses.

Image result for kratom imagesKratom is also illicitly abused, in a fashion similar to prescription pain-killers, touting opiate-mimicking effects. Although Kratom is used by all age groups, there has been a recent increase in use among young adults.

FDA Warnings

The FDA released a statement in 2017 warning against Kratom use.  The conditions that are being treated with Kratom should be treated by licensed professionals. There is also high potential for abuse, as Kratom produces effects similar to Opiates and Stimulants.

Testing for Kratom

Standard drug tests cannot detect  7-Hydroxymitragynine and mitragynine, the main psychoactive components of Kratom. The only way Kratom can be detected is through laboratory testing. It is estimated that Kratom can be tested for up to 5 days after ingestion.

For information on Kratom testing, or to order a Kratom Drug Test, Visit Accrediteddrugtesting.com, or call 800-221-4291

 

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Accredited Drug Testing, Inc has been in business for over 4 years, and in that time we have grown exponentially. We are the nation’s leading provider of drug and alcohol testing. Our President and CEO James Greer has been an expert in the drug testing community for over 20 years. He is a successful entrepreneur and has grown the company to be an active and honored part of the drug testing industry. In drug testing, there is a lot of confusion especially when it comes to the rules and regulations associated with the industry and the ever changing laws on things like medical marijuana. And this is how we came up with the idea for American Drug Talk.

American Drug Talk is a show designed to talk about the issues affecting the nation’s drug and alcohol testing industry. Upcoming episodes will address issues such as medical marijuana in the workplace, U.S. Department of Transportation Drug and Alcohol Testing regulations (commonly referred to as Part 40), regulations on background checks. The show will also address issues facing today’s society in regards to the opioid epidemic and answer the viewers’ questions on any and all drug and alcohol testing policies and procedures.

There will also be training in several episodes to teach the skills needed to succeed in successful drug testing administration. All of the episodes will also include a guest that is an expert on the topic at hand. Occasionally there will be a guest on hand to speak about opinions they have on drug testing and the industry.

But most importantly, American Drug Talk is a conversation about drug use and testing throughout the nation. James Greer is our host and leader into demystifying the world and regulations of the testing industry. This show is meant to entertain and educate viewers each week with thought provoking discussions and lessons. We hope you tune into each week as we discuss America’s drug and alcohol testing industry.

 

American Drug Talk Ep. 1: Welcome

Watch Episode 1 Above!

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What is Ketamine

Ketamine is categorized as a dissociative anesthetic. A dissociative anesthetic is a drug that distorts perception of sight and sound and produces feelings of detachment or dissociation from the environment and self. On the streets, the drug is sold as either a colorless, odorless liquid or as a white or off-white powder.

History Of Ketamine

Image result for ketamine

Ketamine was developed in the 1960s to replace phencyclidine (PCP) as an anesthetic agent.  Most of the time, it is used in veterinary medicine as an animal tranquilizer, although also may be used in human medicine as an anesthetic. Used improperly, on the streets, the drug is often injected, consumed in drinks, snorted, or added to joints or cigarettes. Ketamine was placed on the list of controlled substances in the US in 1999.

Teens are Primary Users

ketamine

One of the most alarming facts about Ketamine is the primary age group of abusers is between the ages of 12 and 25 years old. According to the Drug Abuse Warning Network, individuals aged 12 to 25 accounted for 74 percent of the Ketamine emergency department mentions in the United States in 2000. Use among high school students is a growing concern. Nearly 3 percent of high school seniors in the United States used the drug at least once in the past year.

A Club Drug

In addition to Rohypnol and GHB, Ketamine is also considered a “club drug”, or “date rape drug” and may be used in drug-facilitated sexual assault situations.
Adults sometimes place the drug in the drink of an unsuspecting user and await the effects of the drug to take place. Once the individual is under the influence, there are risks of amnesia and blackout.

Effects Of Ketamine

Ketamine is a very dangerous drug and even using it a single time can have serious repercussions including the potential for long-term side-effects, coma or death. According to the National Institute on DruImage result for ketamine drug statsg Abuse, “Ketamine distorts perceptions of sight and sound and produces feelings of detachment from the environment and self.” At low doses, users can experience impaired attention, learning ability and memory. In higher doses, it can cause dreamlike states, hallucinations, delirium, unconsciousness, and flashbacks-reoccurrences of a certain aspect of the drug experience at any time. Other associated side effects are depression, delirium, amnesia, impaired motor function, high blood pressure, and potentially fatal respiratory problems.

Street Names

The most popular name used for ketamine in the streets is “Special K”. There are also many other common street names that refer to this drug.

  • K
  • Cat Valium
  • Super C
  • Green

Ketamine street names that are brand or type-specific include:

  • Ketaset
  • Ketalar
  • Ketalar SV
  • Ketanest
  • Ketanest S

Drug Testing For Ketamine

As with testing for any other drug, there are specific procedures for Ketamine drug testing. Ketamine is not included in a 5-panel drug screen. The only way Ketamine use can be detected is by studying the levels of “Norketamine” in the blood and urine. The parent drug, Norketamine is detectable in the blood and urine of users for up to 7-14 days depending on dosage and frequency of use. In some cases involving regular users, Ketamine can be detected in a drug screen beyond the typical 7-14 day period.