Category: Drug Testing Archives | Page 5 of 5 | Sterling Talent Solutions

The term “War On Drugs” is one commonly associated today with the federal government’s efforts (more than $51 billion annually) to rid American society of drug abuse and to combat illegal drug trafficking.
Well, according to Employers.com in an article published earlier this year, 1 in 10 small businesses claim that employees are beginning their work day under the influence (with alcohol, marijuana, and prescription painkillers leading the way). The rise in prescription painkiller use over the past several years and the ongoing decriminalization of marijuana are believed to be fueling this trend.

Concern over a relatively new and deadly designer drug has been emerging over the past year.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), acetyl fentanyl is a new drug of abuse that is a variant of fentanyl (a powerful prescription painkiller).

Drug and alcohol abuse affects people from all walks of life, which is why many jobs in both the public and private sector require some form of drug testing. Firefighters, pilots, bus drivers, and police officers are among some of the workers who must participate in random drug testing programs. So why is it that doctors – a profession with access to a variety of narcotics and the authority to prescribe them – are exempt from mandatory drug testing?

After interviewing several job applicants, you’ve finally found one with all of the qualifications required and an impressive work history. Plus, their background check came back spotless. Just when you thought you found your company’s next great performer, the drug test comes back positive.

With Maryland, Minnesota, and New York sanctioning marijuana for medical use earlier this year, there are now 23 states that have decriminalized medical use of marijuana, as well as the District of Columbia. Two of these states (Colorado and Washington) have also decriminalized recreational use of marijuana.