Regulatory Updates:

From the DOT Office of Drug and Alcohol Program Compliance (ODAPC)
Best Practices for DOT Random Drug and Alcohol Testing

The following information was extracted from ODAPC publications.

1. What’s the best tool employers have for deterring drug and alcohol use in the workplace?

The answer is random testing. Following are a few of the reasons why:

• Saves lives and prevents injuries
• Helps employers identify workers with substance abuse issues and facilitate their treatment
• Allows employees to easily say no to illegal drug use
• Reduces employer liability
• It is a fair way of testing

From the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

How Does Drug Abuse Impact the HIV/AIDS Epidemic?
The following information was excerpted from a series of NIDA research reports on HIV/AIDS in the United States. It should be noted that these studies do not address the impact of AIDS in many developing countries, where AIDS is devastating entire populations. It is also important to note what AIDS/HIV is and does. A person infected with HIV has a virus that lives and multiplies primarily in the white blood cells, which are part of the immune system. An infected person may look and feel healthy for many years and may not even be aware of the infection. However, as the immune system weakens, the individual becomes more vulnerable to illnesses and common infections. Over time, the untreated HIV patient is likely to succumb to multiple, concurrent illnesses and develop AIDS.

Drug abuse and addiction have been inextricably linked with HIV/AIDS since the beginning of the epidemic. While intravenous drug use is well known in this regard, less recognized is the role that drug abuse plays more generally in the spread of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, by increasing the likelihood of high-risk sex with infected partners. This is because of the addictive and intoxicating effects of many drugs, which can alter judgment and inhibition and lead people to engage in impulsive and unsafe behaviors. 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 5 through 6. Myth 1, Myths 2-4

Marijuana Myths and Facts

Myth 5: Marijuana is used to treat cancer and other diseases
Under the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, marijuana was established as a Schedule I controlled substance. In other words, it is a dangerous drug that has no recognized medical value.

Whether marijuana can provide relief for people with certain medical conditions, including cancer, is a subject of intense national debate. It is true that THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol), the primary active chemical in marijuana, can be useful for treating some medical problems. Synthetic THC is the main ingredient in Marinol, an FDA-approved medication used to control nausea in cancer chemotherapy patients and to stimulate appetite in people with AIDS. Marinol, a legal and safe version of medical marijuana, has been available by prescription since 1985. read more