drug tests
Oklahoma votes to legalize medical marijuana
Voters in Oklahoma have elected to legalize medical marijuana, making it the 30th state to allow the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes. Oklahoma State Question 788 allows individuals 18 and older to obtain a medical marijuana license with a board-certified physician’s signature. A new office in the Oklahoma State Department of Health will enforce…
Read MoreIOC requests independent drug testing outside sports federations
the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) take over all sports drug testing as an independent agency, in an attempt to bring credibility to drug testing in athletics. It would be a huge undertaking for the WADA, but having an independent organization conduct drug-screening tests could improve fairness when it comes to Olympic drug testing. WADA does…
Read MoreNew study indicates false positives possible for hair drug tests
new study from Scientific Reports may have an effect on what kind of drug tests employers choose to use when screening potential employees for marijuana. The study, entitled “Finding cannabinoids in hair does not prove cannabis consumption,” shows that three cannabinoids — tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), 11-nor-9-carboxy-THC (THC-COOH) and tetrahydrocannabinolic acid A (THCA-A) — can be found…
Read MoreCalifornians start state petition to legalize marijuana in 2016
petition to legalize marijuana has been approved by the state and advocates are now seeking hundreds of thousands of registered voters’ signatures in order for the controversial measure to appear on the November 2016 ballot. The petition’s language was approved by Alex Padilla, California Secretary of State. If the measure passes, it would legalize marijuana…
Read MoreWhat types of background checks can employers conduct?
Criminal background checks Criminal background checks are common in employment situations in which the employee will have access to company financial information or will be working with vulnerable populations. Oftentimes, a company will reconsider hiring the person if they are applying for a position related to a previous felony conviction. In order to conduct criminal…
Read MoreNCAA considering new policies for recreational, performance-enhancing drugs
In a move that goes against its former drug-policies, the NCAA may be tightening the reins for college athletes who utilize performance-enhancing drugs, while simultaneously lessening the consequences for those players that utilize recreational drugs such as marijuana and opiates. The NCAA drug testing website currently states, “The NCAA shares the responsibility of promoting a…
Read MoreSynthetic cannabinoid compounds relegated to DEA’s banned substances list
have been banned by Louisiana’s Department of Health and Hospitals. Three of those compounds have also been banned by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. “Synthetic drugs have proven to be a devastating element in our communities,” said Louisiana State Police Superintendent Colonel Mike Edmonson. “Public safety officials must remain proactive in removing these dangerous drugs…
Read MoreMaine attorney general approves welfare drug-testing program, if changes are made
the attorney general finally approved the program, provided the Department of Health and Human Services make some changes to the plan. One such change requires applicants of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program fill out a questionnaire that may help determine if applicants are likely to be taking illegal drugs. The questionnaire is an…
Read MoreWill Brazil have new drug-testing lab open in time for Olympics?
Rio de Janeiro used to have an accredited drug-testing lab. But it was shut down in 2013 by the World Anti-Doping Agency and lost its accreditation due to “repeated failures,” including too many false positives on athlete drug tests. During the recent soccer World Cup, which also took place in Rio, Brazil had to ship…
Read MorePatch a potential option for drug testing
The Queen’s University Belfast’s School of Pharmacy in Northern Ireland has developed a new technology that may make drug testing easier, safer and less painful than current blood tests. The university is testing a sticky, plaster-like patch that utilizes tiny, polymer microneedles to test for drugs in the body’s interstitial fluid. Currently, drug tests can…
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