Tag: Random Drug Testing

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Danny Duffy has been in the MLB for 6 years with the Kansas City Royals, but this is the first year he has been called for 12 random drug tests… and it’s only July. The MLB has not made a comment about it yet but firmly stands behind its’ random drug testing policy.

Why does he think this?

He can’t help but think something is up and took to twitter to talk about the subject:

Danny Duffy Tweet

It’s happened before…

Duffy isn’t the first player questioning why they’ve been submitted to so many drug tests this year.Brewers slugger Eric Thames, who returned to the majors from Korea and has hit a plethora of dingers, wasn’t so sure the drug tests were as random as the league claims.

“I went the long way around to come back here. This whole thing is surprising me, as well. I really have no goals for this year. I wasn’t trying to break any records or set anything. I just wanted to apply what I learned in Korea to see how it would fare here. I’m shocked at all the results. I’m just here to play ball, and do my best to stay healthy, and stretch as much as I can. So, yeah, if people keep thinking I’m on stuff, I’ll be here every day. I have lots of blood and urine.” Thames said in an interview addressing the drug testing.

How can ADT Help?

While the MLB can claim the tests are random, there is a difference between random drug testing, and drug testing under a “Reasonable Suspicion” claim. Accredited Drug Testing Offers “Reasonable Suspicion Training” for any supervisors or HR Managers that want to be able to test under reasonable suspicion, or send an employee to get a drug test when a supervisor believes they may be using or under the influence of drugs. Only companies that have at least one employee that have gone through Reasonable Suspicion Training are legally allowed to test for reasonable suspicion.

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A private high school in Kentucky signed off on randomly drug testing their students on July 4th, this past week. The board at Trinity High School has been attempting to officially implement this for years with 2 years of testing under their belt.

How long have they been doing it?

Six hundred students were tested during their initial year of drug-testing, with 24 students (4 percent) testing positive. During the just-completed school year, they tested 800 students – with just 3 percent testing positive (24 students). While the rates are low, the school considers one positive test a test too high, and is doing everything they can to enforce their stance on drugs and binge drinking.

What’s it costing?

Including using a hair drug test, which can detect any drug use of up to 90 days prior. The standard in the industry is a urine 5 panel drug test, which can test for up to a week prior. Adopting a hair test as the random test of choice is very expensive, one test usually goes for $139.99. This price will be covered by the tuition the families are paying for their students to attend Trinity, at $13,700 a year when paid in full and the price goes up for payment plans.

When a student tests positive, their first reaction is not punitive. The school meets with the parent(s) and student, review the results and encourage them to use community counseling resources to interrupt this risky behavior. During this phase of drug testing, no school consequences occur. School counselors are available for support and guidance. If a student tests positive, he will be tested every 100 days until further notice. If he tests positive again school consequences begin. This has been rare so far.

Parents love it!

Parents support the program because, the school says, they understand it empowers their kids to make better decisions. At parties or in unsupervised homes, teens often are pressured or forget good advice from parents, school and church. A parent told us “we hear frequently that it really does help in peer situations to be able to say, “I can’t. My school tests.””

 Though Trinity wasn’t the first school to test in this area, several other schools have visited them to learn more and adopted their policy as their own.

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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