Drug & Alcohol Testing Industry News
Federal court approves random testing at nuclear facilities
On June 6, 2023, the Federal Court endorsed the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission’s move to require pre-placement and random alcohol and drug testing of workers in safety-critical positions at high-security nuclear facilities, as mandated by CNSC regulatory document...
Hamilton health board approves new opioid pilot program
Earlier in June, Hamilton's Public Health Board unanimously voted to implement a new action plan created to address the ongoing opioid crisis. Specifically, the plan includes an 18-month pilot project which aims to prevent overdose deaths in the city. According to...
Drug testing and alert system introduced for Irish festivals
Earlier in May, Ireland’s Health Service Executive (HSE) announced the launch of its new drug harm-reduction campaign for music festivals. The program originated as a drug testing pilot that was first introduced at the Electric Picnic music festival in 2022, and will...
Motion against safe supply voted down
On May 29, MPs of the House of Commons defeated the motion presented by Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to end safe drug policies with a vote of 209 to 113. Poilievre introduced the motion to the House of Commons earlier in May, urging the Liberal government to...
Northern Ontario EMS try new opioid treatment program
Earlier in May, the Ontario Ministry of Health gave its approval to Cochrane District EMS to administer the medication buprenorphine-naloxone, also known by its brand name Suboxone.Suboxone is classified as a narcotic and Cochrane District is the first paramedic...
All about oral fluid webinar coming June 29
DATAC is proud to announce our second webinar of 2023, All About Oral Fluid! The landscape of drug and alcohol testing within North America is always changing and evolving and we are here with knowledgeable speakers to help you navigate those changes. The big news...
Researchers in Nova Scotia test efficacy of warning labels on alcohol
Earlier in May, a team of researchers at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia received a research grant from the federal government to test the effectiveness of alcohol warning labels. The research team is led by Dr. Kara Thompson, the director of the...
Record number of U.S. workers test positive for cannabis in latest study
According to the results of the annual analysis published by Quest Diagnostics, the percentage of U.S. employees who tested positive for cannabis in 2022 reached record levels since the beginning of data collection in 1988. Specifically, over 6 million urine tests...
What to know about xylazine
Xylazine, commonly known as "tranq" or "horse tranquilizer," has become a cause for concern in the illicit drug market. Originally used as a veterinary sedative for large animals, this drug has found its way onto the streets, especially in cities like Los Angeles and...