Regulatory Updates:

From the DOT Office of Drug and Alcohol Program Compliance (ODAPC)

ODAPC has moved to the following address:

U.S. Department of Transportation
Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy and Compliance
W63-300
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590

Telephone: 202-366-3784
FAX: 202-366-3897

Best Practices for DOT Random Drug and Alcohol Testing

The following information was extracted from ODAPC publications, and is the continuation from last month’s article. (click here to read last month's article)

V. Testing

Why are some people randomly tested more than once?
This is not an uncommon concern among some safety-sensitive employees, and many employers have been challenged in court to demonstrate that their programs are truly random. The reality is that in a truly random selection process, a high probability exists that some employees will be selected several times while others may never be selected.

Why? After each selection, the employee’s name is returned to the same pool, and he or she becomes just as likely as anyone else to be selected next time. read more

From the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

MDMA (Ecstasy) Abuse
The following information was excerpted from a series of NIDA research reports on the spreading problem and use of MDMA. The material will be covered in two segments.

What is MDMA?
MDMA is an illegal drug that acts as both a stimulant and psychedelic, producing an energizing effect, as well as distortions in time and perception and enhanced enjoyment from tactile experiences. Typically, MDMA (an acronym for its chemical name, methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is taken orally, usually in a tablet or capsule, and its effects last approximately three to six hours. The average reported dose is one to two tablets, with each tablet typically containing between 60 and 120 milligrams of MDMA. It is not uncommon for users to take a second dose of the drug as the effects of the first dose begin to fade.

Although MDMA is known universally among users as ecstasy, researchers have determined that many ecstasy tablets contain not only MDMA but also a number of other drugs or drug combinations that can be harmful as well. Adulterants found in MDMA tablets purchased on the street include methamphetamine, caffeine, the over-the-counter cough suppressant dextromethorphan, the diet drug ephedrine, and cocaine. Also, as with many other drugs of abuse, MDMA is rarely used alone. It is not uncommon for users to mix MDMA with other substances, such as alcohol and marijuana. read more

Focus On

The DAC News Service seeks to inform by providing information on topics of broad interest and concern to employers. Therefore, from time-to-time, we will select subjects we believe to be relevant and informative to the workplace environment. Following is a continuation of last month’s and covers Myths 7 and 8. Myth 1, Myths 2-4, Myths 5-6

Marijuana Myths and Facts

Myth 7: If I buy marijuana, I’m not hurting anyone else
Despite its reputation as the herb of peace and love, marijuana and violence go hand in hand. Marijuana trafficking is a big, violent business, whether the plants are grown on foreign soil or cultivated in basements, backyards, and farms in the United States.

Violence at Home
The trade in domestically grown marijuana often turns violent when dealers have conflicts or when growers feel their crops are threatened. But drug criminals are not the only ones threatened by the violence of the marijuana trade.  read more