Drug & Alcohol Testing Industry News
New study explores relationship between social isolation and substance abuse
A new research study published in the journal Prim Care Companion CNS Disord examined the link between social isolation and substance abuse among hospitalized adults. The study authors used the 2018 National Inpatient Sample dataset to identify adult hospitalizations...
U.S. Overdose Deaths Decreased in 2023 for the first time since 2018
According to the results of a recent report released by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), there were an estimated 107,543 drug overdose deaths in the United States in 2023. This corresponds to a decrease of...
Fewer than half of US jails provide life-saving medications for opioid use disorder
According to the results of a new study, only 43.8% of jails in the United States provide incarcerated individuals with essential medications to treat opioid use disorder medications, such as methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone. The research study, published in...
Consuming 1-2 drinks per day can shorten lifespan: Expert opinion
In his recent interview with the Daily Mail, Dr Tim Stockwell, a scientist at the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, discussed the effects of drinking alcohol on life expectancy. According to the expert, having an average of only two alcoholic drinks per...
Waterloo councillor speaks out against consumption site closures
In August, Ontario Minister of Health Sylvia Jones announced the government will close 10 consumption and treatment sites that are considered to be located too close to schools and day cares, including sites in Kitchener and Guelph. According to the announcement...
New study shows negative impact of alcohol use on romantic relationships for men
According to the results of a new study, young men are significantly more likely to report symptoms of depression when they perceive their partner as having problematic drinking behaviour. The research study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Personal...
Seniors are increasingly prescribed harmful and inappropriate medications: Study
According to the results of a new research study published in the Journal of American Geriatrics Society, prescribing of potentially inappropriate and harmful medications to seniors by healthcare professionals is on the rise in Canada. Specifically, the study involved...
Vermont medical cannabis user loses Supreme Court appeal over unemployment benefits
Earlier in August, Ivo Skoric, a Vermont resident who was fired from his job after testing positive for cannabis in a drug test lost his appeal to the Vermont Supreme Court over unemployment benefits. Skoric had initially appealed to the state after he was found to be...
Recovery from alcohol use disorder is linked to increased anxiety: New study
According to the results of a new study, quitting alcohol as part of recovery from alcohol use disorder can result in changes in connectivity in brain regions associated with increased anxiety. The research study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Alcohol:...