prescription drugs
Should employers expand drug testing to prescription drugs? National Safety Council thinks so
called for employers to create workplace drug policies in order to address the increased use of prescription painkillers. The Council studied court cases and research that shows that, by addressing the painkiller problem in advance, employers can reduce worker’s compensation claims and costs, as well as costs associated with addiction and treatment. Many workers who…
Read MoreNew Mexico takes first steps toward decriminalizing medical marijuana
approved measures that take steps to decriminalize marijuana and ensure that licensed medical marijuana providers do not have felony criminal records. State legislators have made clear that, despite these new bills, the state is not yet ready to legalize cannabis. “This is not legalization,” said Senate bill sponsor Sen. Joseph Cervantes. “This is decriminalization of…
Read MoreEmployers continue to question how to handle marijuana legality during drug testing
Alaska officially legalized recreational use of marijuana for citizens that are over the age of 21. However, employers in the state — and in fact, across the country in other states in which recreational or medical cannabis is used — find that they are not sure how to handle employee drug tests when the drug…
Read MoreCould the federal government overturn its medical marijuana ban?
attempt to end the federal government’s blanket ban on marijuana. The concern is that — while the current administration is fairly lax about enforcing the drug’s ban, allowing the states to determine if medical marijuana can or should be legalized — future administrations may crack down on federal bans and overturn all existing (and future)…
Read MoreWashington: Users of medical marijuana may now have more rights than ever
Senate Bill 5052 would allow those who utilize medical marijuana — per their doctors’ orders — to possess quantities of the drug up to three times larger than those who only use marijuana recreationally. The bill also included a number of provisions for medical marijuana users. In addition to allowing patients to grow their own…
Read MoreGeorgia council incentivizes drug testing in the workplace
Recently, the Georgia Council on Alcohol and Drugs hosted an event called “Drugs Don’t Work” in an attempt to discourage illegal drug usage in the workplace, particularly because 70 percent of the state’s illegal drug users can be found among its employed. The most commonly abused drugs? Prescription medications. The Council is now providing incentives…
Read MoreBill may require restrictions, random drug tests for Calif. doctors
California doctors may find new restrictions in place to prevent potential drug abuse, if a new bill passes. Supporters hope that the bill will prevent doctors from recklessly prescribing painkillers to addicts, and ensure that doctors are not under the influence themselves when practicing. The bill, called the Troy and Alana Pack Act, has already…
Read MoreChallenges of prescription drugs in the workplace
A particular issue in today’s society is prescription drugs in the workplace – and as we’ve mentioned previously, there are legal battles currently in progress between employers and former-employees, where individuals have been fired for having prescription drugs in their system while at work. The employers claim that it affects the individuals ability to work,…
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