Posts Tagged drug tests
K2 and Spice Shops Looking for “Workarounds”
Posted by Maureen in Toxicology on June 21, 2011
Recent laws banning synthetic cannabinoids have really put a cramp in the businesses of “incense” resellers. They aren’t wasting any time moving on to the next legal compound to get people high. Although Spice and K2 are marketed as incense with clear warning labels that the product is not meant for human consumption, no one is fooled and people are buying it and smoking it everywhere. The herb that the chemical compound is sprinkled on doesn’t matter and it doesn’t have the stink of marijuana so it is more difficult for police to detect. In addition each package may contain a different amount of a compound or even a different compound regardless of how it’s been labeled. 
Tests have been developed that can be used to determine if someone has been using Spice or K2, which is based on a formula called JWH-018 or other similar formulas, but it is not part of a standard drug test so medical personnel need to know what they are looking for and have access to the specific test.
Many states have banned a class of these synthetic cannabinoids that may include up to 7 different compounds. In the meantime people who sell the “incense” are busy looking for the next synthetic drug to market and sell. In their world, it’s just a matter of switching out and testing other chemicals so they can keep selling cheap drugs that aren’t yet illegal, but which may be incredibly dangerous. The number of emergency room visits through May of 2011 is over 2000 and on track to be double those of 2010. Hallucinations, rapid heart rate, agitation, vomiting and seizures caused by smoking incense in contrast to the calm, relaxation of a marijuana high show the dangers in smoking something unknown and untested. Some people will risk their lives for a quick high and this seems the perfect option for them. The next compound that is developed may be deadly until it is exposed and banned. Watch what you’re buying…you don’t know where it’s been!
Medical Marijuana Users Not Protected From Employer Drug Testing
Posted by Maureen in Toxicology on June 15, 2011
Even for the states that have legalized marijuana for medical use under the Medical Use of Marijuana Act (MUMA), people who are taking advantage of the law are still at risk from their employers. The act is intended to protect medical users from arrest but the protection does not extend to private businesses. In at least 2 separate instances employees who were using 
marijuana for medical purposes were required to submit to drug tests for their employment and were subsequently fired. Even though both of these people informed their employers about their medical use of marijuana and had supporting evidence from their doctors, the companies still followed through with their corporate policies.
For people suffering from chronic pain or undergoing cancer treatment, marijuana can make a huge difference. The talk show host, Montel Williams, has suffered with Multiple Sclerosis for years and found relief from constant neurological pain with marijuana. He says that it improved his health and well being. He supports this as a treatment so much that he is opening a medical marijuana dispensary in Sacramento, CA that he claims will be professional with a focus on patient care. It’s truly sad that these sufferers are punished when they have found a treatment that works for them and enables them to function well enough to go back to work. True medical use of marijuana does not provide an exemption for employers concerned with sticking stringently to the rules but it should. Their lack of compassion in our “Drug Free” world is cruel and unacceptable.
Written by www.labtestingnow.com
Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients on the Rise
Posted by Maureen in Toxicology on May 13, 2011
Kansas is one of the most recent states to try to pass laws requiring welfare recipients to submit to drug testing. 
Although there are many opponents who claim that this will cost the state too much money to test all of these people, in the long run this will help to ensure that the money is going to the children and welfare dependents who need food and shelter. Too many drug users are on welfare and using the state’s money to purchase drugs. From any perspective this is not the intention of welfare and makes most taxpayers (including me!) angry. In fact, many of the welfare recipients who were asked about the drug testing bill now headed to the Governer of Kansas support the concept. They have seen friends and relatives using welfare funds inappropriately.
The unfortunate side effect of passing laws such as this, and so far 30 states have proposed bills like this, but none have successfully been enacted, is that this doesn’t provide a support system for drug addicts. The bills address different aspects of the problem, from receipt of welfare benefits, to applying for welfare, to receipt of food stamps. Those who test positive may be referred for treatment but the treatment isn’t necessarily covered and then there is the question about how they will support themselves while undergoing treatment, if they actually take that step. What about false positives? Is there any recourse for those who receive an incorrect result? Another worry is that some who really need financial aid, and may use it properl,y won’t even apply if they have to be tested. Some states are even proposing that welfare applicants pay $15-$25 for the test themselves. Perhaps lawmakers will address these issues later but are hoping that this will be a deterent allowing money to be spent on the things it was meant to provide as a stop gap measure for those temporarily out of work: food and housing. This is a good idea, but needs to be part of a bigger picture and an overhaul of the entire system to help people who need it and then get then back on their feet and back to work.
Written by www.labtestingnow.com
Decriminalizing Marijuana: Is This the Right Direction?
Posted by Maureen in Toxicology on March 15, 2011
Another state, Connecticut, is considering decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana, less than 1 ounce. The Governor’s intent is to reduce the prison population and save the state money. This would also map to similar laws in their neighboring states of New York and Massachusetts. 
Is this really a legitmate way to save money? Many legislators don’t agree and this could open the door to marijuana use becoming more prevalent. The proposed law doesn’t stipulate an age limit or how many times it is okay to be in possession.
Was the current prison population in the state that was convicted of marijuana possession also charged with another offense? Detractors say that rarely is possession of a small amount of pot the only offense and that there are usually aggravating factors. Of the 31 cases of possession as the primary offense up for trial now all of them are for 4 ounces or more and include other charges in addition to the possession charge or are part of a plea bargain that reduced the charges to only marijuana possession. Drug tests are frequently used to determine whether someone has been driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and these would still be prosecuted as they have been. Proponents of the bill say that in 2009 there were 8,118 arrests statewide for possession of marijuana. In 2,700 of those cases, possession of marijuana was the only charge and 75 percent of those involved less than one ounce of the substance. Based on these statistics, it looks like this might save the state money, but will this increase drug use and arrests in the long term? It might be the smartest way to save a buck!
Written by www.labtestingnow.com
Drug Testing Companies Are Getting More Effective
Posted by Maureen in Toxicology on March 10, 2011
If you were hoping that your heroin use was tough to catch, you could be in trouble. In October of last year the US Department of Transportation (DOT) changed their regulations for drug testing, lowering the cutoff levels for amphetamines and cocaine and adding the urine test for the heroin marker to its list of required tests. 
The addition of the test for heroin creates complications for employers who need to test their drivers to ensure safer highways. Heroin metabolizes quickly to 6-AM and then to morphine. Previously a test for heroin was only conducted after a positive result for morphine.
Testing laboratories, such as Quest Diagnostics, have updated their arsenal of tests to include an oral fluid test that can accurately reveal five times more heroin use in the general US workforce than previously believed. The oral fluid test is much easier to administer, making observation simpler, and oral fluid is more difficult to tamper with. According to the Quest Diagnostics Drug Testing Index™ oral fluid testing with more than 320,000 oral-fluid samples from the general U.S. workforce from January to June 2010, detected a marker for heroin use at a rate of 0.04% compared to the 0.008% positivity rate for urine testing. If you are a professional driver up for drug testing, it’s time to get clean!
Written by www.labtestingnow.com
Fake Pot Banned by DEA
Posted by Maureen in Toxicology on March 1, 2011
Up until today it has been legal in most states to purchase and possess “fake pot”, also known as Spice and K2, among other names. For those looking for a legal high, this seemed like a perfect solution. 
The war on drugs has been the mother of invention and encouraged people to seek other ways to get what they want. Unfortunately for them, the synthetic marijuana has sent hundreds of people to emergency rooms nationwide with seizures, rapid heart rate, and hallucinations. This newer, more dangerous drug prompted the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to step in and ban the chemicals JWH-018, JWH-073, JWH-200, CP-47,497 and cannabicyclohexanol for at least a year while it looks into whether to ban them permanently. Although the drug was meant to mimic marijuana’s effects in laboratory animals for research purposes and never meant to be consumed by humans, humans got a hold of the recipe and it’s been sold as “incense” in head shops. Many states had already begun the process of making synthetic marijuana illegal and laws were passed in 15 states . The DEA used its emergency powers and after a waiting period of 30 days possession of the substance will be a federal crime. Tests are available to determine if someone has been using it but weren’t readily available. With the DEA’s action today, the test will become more widely available as the federal agency tries to crack down on the designer drug and prevent what it considers a health and safety crisis. Most studies don’t show that real marijuana is any more dangerous or addictive than alcohol. The fact that it’s illegal is what gets most pot smokers in trouble. Regardless of anyone’s view on whether marijuana should be made legal in the United States, the “incense” being sold in head shops is much more dangerous and the DEA has done the right thing to stop people from destroying themselves with it. It’s too bad they can’t stop people from doing a lot of other stupid things.
Written by www.labtestingnow.com
Early Psychosis Linked to Marijuana Usage: Do You Know Where Your Children Are?
Posted by Maureen in Toxicology on February 15, 2011
If you are the parent of a teenager, you are probably already worried about the possibility that they are using or trying drugs. If you’re not, you should be! Not only are there the inherent risks of drug use from driving under the influence to unprotected sex, but now marijuana use has been tied to early psychosis, especially schizophrenia. 
A causal relationship wasn’t established, therefore the researchers of the study, published in the Archives of General Psychiatry online last week, can’t say that marijuana use causes psychosis, but they certainly suspect that it’s possible.
Several theories about what the link between marijuana and early onset of psychosis means have been floated. It could be that people who already have some mental problems are using marijuana to self-medicate or are drawn to getting high. It could also be that those who will develop early psychosis (before the age of 25) tend to smoke marijuana for some reason while those who will develop it later aren’t drawn to it as strongly or at all.
While these alternative reasons to a theory that marijuana use causes early psychosis are valid and may be the right answers, it can’t be ruled out that pot smoking is the cause. Instilling the fear of drugs and their side effects in our youth is more important than ever. Why take a chance that your child will be the one to develop a psychosis that never would have surfaced without marijuana use? Confidential tests are available that can keep you informed about your teen’s extracurricular activities. I wouldn’t take the risk of letting my child ruin their life, and the earlier the onset of psychotic illness, the more long lasting and debilitating the disease tends to be. Stay involved and know what your children are up to.
Written by www.labtestingnow.com
Another New Drug Sending Users to Emergency Rooms
Posted by Maureen in Toxicology on February 9, 2011
Some people are willing to try anything to get high. The new drugs, called bath salts, among other names such as Ivory Snow, Red Dove, and Vanilla Sky, are powders derived from 
bath salts, as well as from plant foods, that are sold legally. The drugs that result from chemical processing, mephedrone and methylenedioxypyrovalerone, also known as MDPV, cause severe hallucinations, paranoia, a rapid heart rate and suicidal thoughts. Cases have been showing up in emergency rooms across the country and officials are trying to get a handle on the problem before it’s too late. For some people, it’s already too late.
Officials are trying to get this under control but, because it’s legal, many times all they can do is to arrest the users for disorderly conduct. The effects of the drug seem to be similar to methamphetamine and are making the users violent. Drug tests conducted in the emergency rooms are able to verify the substance in the users blood. One man slit his face and stomach several times with a knife, while another slit his throat and then shot himself while experiencing severe hallucinations. As if the existing drugs on the market aren’t bad enough, someone has discovered something worse! I only hope that it is made illegal soon to save the lives of more crazy drug daredevils.
Written by www.labtestingnow.com
Do Our Prescription Drugs Make Us More Violent?
Posted by Maureen in Toxicology on January 18, 2011
Our society has become more medicated than ever before. Although we appreciate longer life and better treatments for disorders like depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and insomnia, the side effects create havoc for some people. The big question is, were we already becoming violent, which is supported by crime statistics, or is the medication pushing us that way? 
A list of the top ten legal drugs that are linked with violent behavior include 5 that are anti-depressants, 2 that are used to treat ADHD and one that treats insomnia. The concern that your child is taking your prescription medications presents further complications when some of these medications cause anywhere from 7.9 to 10.9 times increased likelihood of violent behavior. We can test for use of legal, prescription medications such as amphetamines, benzodiazepenes, and tricyclic anti-depressants but not for all the of the medications on the list.
Some of these drugs are addictive and may be sought after for a drug addiction, accompanied by crime to get the drug, but many of these are not. Some of the disorders that are treated with these medications involve violent behavior before taking the medication, such as some anti-psychotics. Many of the drugs described in the study are non-addictive and are not treating a pre-existing violent condition, such as Strattera. This medication, used to treat ADHD, has been linked to rage and hostility. I have seen this in practice with my son. He was diagnosed with ADHD a couple of years ago and after trying many amphetamines we tried Strattera. The rages and depression he experienced have been painful to watch. He isn’t old enough to cause much damage except to his own psyche through the guilt he feels after he has lost his temper. It is obvious to us now after a couple of months of gradually increasing hostility that we’re back to the drawing board on treating his ADHD. This leaves me feeling fortunate that the raging will hopefully go away when the medication wears off, but frustrated that my little boy had to go through such a painful period. What if he had been old enough to get a gun or get into a fistfight in a bar? The effects would have been much more powerful than just guilt and tears. Treating a painful disorder is great, but watch out for side effects. For some people, they may not be worth it.
Written by www.labtestingnow.com
Medical Marijuana Sends a Confusing Message to Teens
Posted by Maureen in Toxicology on December 14, 2010
The good news: Binge drinking and cigarette smoking is down among teens. The bad news: They are smoking more marijuana and Ecstasy use is on the rise. Not the trends that the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) was hoping for! According to their annual report, released today, the number of 8th graders who have used marijuana jumped to 16% from 14.5% last year. Daily marijuana use increased across all grade levels. It looks like the messages we’re sending to our youth are working: smoking cigarettes is bad and binge drinking is bad. Smoking pot, on the other hand, might be good for you if you can get a prescription for it, so no worries there, go ahead and smoke it!
The US Drug Czar, R. Gil Kerlikowske, stated that the legalization of marijuana may be to blame for the increase because this sends a message that pot smoking is not dangerous. The implication sends kids down the wrong path. Marijuana is known to interfere with memory and learning which could be serious for teens whose brains haven’t finished growing yet. No studies have been done yet to determine if an increase in marijuana use correlates with poor test scores but parents get worried enough to test their teens for drug use. The conflict between telling kids to “Just Say No” and having marijuana dispensaries in the neighborhood is problematic. It’s like telling your children not to smoke and then lighting up a cigarette. Looks like we need to stop being hypocrits and do what we tell our teens to do if we expect them to listen.
Written by www.labtestingnow.com
CDC H1N1 Flu Updates:- Press Briefing Transcript: Dr. Thomas Frieden's Remarks at the 2010 Influenza Workshop for Journalists
- HHS News Release: WHO Declares End to 2009 H1N1 Influenza Pandemic
- WHO Statement on H1N1 in post-pandemic period
- UPDATE: 2009 H1N1 Flu International Situation Update
- UPDATE: 2009 H1N1 Flu International Situation Update
- MMWR: Regional Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccination Campaign -- Skokie, Illinois, October 16--December 31, 2009
- UPDATE: 2009 H1N1 Flu International Situation Update